Elementary Curriculum

Kindergarten is a year of discovery and foundational learning. Students develop essential pre-reading and early math skills while exploring God’s world through science and social studies. Daily routines build the academic habits and social skills that will support learning throughout their educational journey.

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Bible: God’s Loving Care
Students memorize Bible verses and develop an awareness of the importance of Scripture memory. Through prayer and worship, they grow in their relationship with Christ. Lessons focus on major Bible truths from both the Old and New Testaments that show God’s loving care, helping students recognize and strive for biblical ways of loving others.

English Language Arts
Students learn basic features of print, recognize all uppercase and lowercase letters, and identify letter sounds. They read common high-frequency words and early-reader stories with understanding. Writing begins with drawing, dictating, and simple writing to express opinions, information, or stories. Students practice holding writing tools correctly and participate in group discussions.

Mathematics
Students learn number names and count to 100 by ones and tens. They count objects, compare sets (more, less, equal), and read and write numbers 0-20. Basic addition and subtraction within 10 uses objects and drawings. Geometry includes identifying, describing, and drawing shapes. Students also measure and compare objects and classify items into categories.

Science: Earth Science
Students observe and discuss the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface and explore local weather conditions. They learn about the purpose of weather forecasting and begin to understand how weather impacts daily life.

Social Studies: Children as Citizens
Students explore how past events affect their lives and community, compare diverse cultures, and discuss values of respect, responsibility, equality, and fairness. They learn about rules, the roles of people in authority, and the difference between needs and wants. Map skills, American symbols, traditions, and holidays are introduced.

First grade builds on kindergarten foundations with an emphasis on reading fluency and mathematical operations. Students develop greater independence as readers and writers while exploring life science and community studies. Biblical character traits guide social and spiritual development.

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Bible: Old Testament, Life of Christ, and Early Church
Students continue memorizing Scripture and growing through prayer and worship. Lessons cover Old Testament Bible truths, the life of Christ, His ministry, and the early Church. Students learn to recognize, identify, and strive for biblical characteristics such as love, obedience, and patience.

English Language Arts
Students ask and answer questions about key details, retell stories with main topics and key details, and use text features to locate information. They apply grade-level phonics skills, read accurately and fluently, and write opinions, narratives, and informative text. Speaking and listening skills develop through group discussions and complete sentence production.

Mathematics
Students represent and solve word problems with addition and subtraction, adding and subtracting within 20. They count to 120, understand place value with tens and ones, compare two-digit numbers, and add within 100. Measurement includes comparing lengths and telling time to the half hour. Students work with equal groups to build foundations for multiplication.

Science: Life Science
Students learn how plants and animals use external parts to survive, grow, and meet their needs. They explain how young organisms resemble their parents, what plants and animals need to survive, and how they can change their environment. Topics include pollination, seed dispersal, habitat diversity, and being responsible stewards of God’s creation.

Social Studies: Communities
Students place life events on timelines, explore how past events affect communities, and compare diverse cultures. They learn why rules and laws are important, the role of local government, and how communities work together. Economic concepts include jobs, goods and services, earning money, and spending versus saving. American symbols, landmarks, and leaders are explored.

Second grade expands reading comprehension strategies and mathematical fluency. Students explore the physical world through science and develop global awareness in social studies. Bible lessons focus on character traits of biblical figures and their application to daily life.

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Bible: Character Traits of People in the Bible
Students memorize Scripture and grow in their relationship with Christ through prayer and worship. They study the character traits of people in the Bible and learn to apply these lessons to their own lives, developing qualities such as love, obedience, and patience.

English Language Arts
Students ask and answer questions using textual evidence, compare and contrast different texts, and recount key details to determine central messages, lessons, or morals. They apply grade-level phonics, read fluently, and write to communicate effectively. Writing is strengthened through planning, revising, and editing. Students present information with appropriate facts and details.

Mathematics
Students solve addition and subtraction problems within 100 and achieve fluency within 20. They understand place value to hundreds, read and count to 1,000, and use place value strategies for computation. Measurement includes standard units (inches, feet, centimeters), telling time to 5 minutes, and counting money with coins and bills. Data is represented using line plots, picture graphs, and bar graphs.

Science: Physical Science
Students describe, classify, and observe different kinds of matter and analyze matter’s interactions. They learn how some changes from heating or cooling can be reversed while others cannot. Topics include forces (push and pull), the relationship between sound and vibrations, and how sound and light can be affected by objects. Students design ways to communicate over distances using light or sound.

Social Studies: The World Around Me
Students create chronological sequences, compare diverse cultures, and analyze cause-and-effect relationships. They explore how people work together to solve problems, examine jobs in a global community, and learn about producers and consumers in a global economy. Map and globe skills expand to include physical and cultural regions of the world.

Third grade marks significant growth in reading independence and mathematical complexity. Students master multiplication and division, explore Earth and life sciences, and study Arizona history. Bible lessons cover the life of Christ, the early Church, and missions from Paul’s time to present.

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Bible: Life of Christ, Early Church, and Missions
Students communicate the value of all people to God and develop godly character qualities such as boldness, compassion, creativity, endurance, faith, and responsibility. They memorize Scripture focusing on key components of faith, evaluate differences between Christianity and other worldviews, and identify the three parts of the Trinity. Prayer, praise, and worship are emphasized as essential parts of a relationship with God.

English Language Arts
Students ask and answer questions using textual evidence, describe characters and how their actions contribute to events, and summarize texts while making logical inferences. They distinguish between multiple perspectives and between fact and opinion. Writing develops through routines that communicate ideas effectively, including reflective narratives. Students conduct short research projects and present information using appropriate facts and details.

Mathematics
Students represent and solve problems with multiplication and division, understanding properties and relationships between operations. They multiply and divide within 100 and solve multi-step word problems with all four operations. Place value understanding supports multi-digit computation and fluent addition/subtraction within 1,000. Students develop understanding of fractions and solve problems involving time, volume, mass, area, and perimeter.

Science: Earth and Life Science
Students observe patterns in the sun, moon, and stars and discuss how daylight relates to seasons. They explore how Earth’s events can occur quickly or slowly and identify where water is found on Earth. Life science topics include organism life cycles, animal group behavior for survival, inherited traits, and how habitat influences survival. Students analyze rock formations and fossils as evidence of landscape changes over time.

Social Studies: Arizona Studies
Students compare historical periods to today, explain different perspectives on events, and ask questions about Arizona history, geography, government, and economics. They describe the Arizona Constitution, local and tribal governments, and ways people work together. Topics include Arizona industries, natural resources (especially water), connections to other states and Mexico, and Arizona’s diverse cultures and innovations.

Fourth grade deepens analytical thinking in reading and writing while expanding mathematical understanding to multi-digit operations and fractions. Students explore physical science and study the regions and cultures of the Americas. Bible instruction focuses on foundational doctrines of the Christian faith.

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Bible: Doctrines of the Church
Students understand, develop, and practice biblical character qualities. They learn to use Bible study tools including concordances, timelines, maps, and context. Students express understanding of their personal beliefs and identify key concepts related to biblical Christianity: Bible, God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Angels, Man, Sin, and Salvation. Scripture memory continues with accurate memorization.

English Language Arts
Students use textual evidence when explaining information and drawing inferences. They summarize key details, determine central messages, and interpret information presented visually in charts, graphs, and timelines. Writing includes analytical expository texts with clear organization appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Students conduct research projects and differentiate between formal and informal speaking contexts.

Mathematics
Students solve multi-step problems with all four operations and gain understanding of factors and multiples. They understand place value in multi-digit numbers and perform operations including division. Fraction work includes equivalence, ordering, and understanding the relationship between fractions and decimals (tenths and hundredths). Students solve measurement conversion problems, represent data, and understand angle concepts.

Science: Physical Science
Students relate speed and energy, understand energy transfer through sound, light, heat, and electric currents, and predict outcomes of collisions. They describe how waves cause movement, how light enables vision, and investigate balanced and unbalanced forces. Topics include electric and magnetic interactions, properties of matter, conservation of matter, gravitational force, and how food energy traces back to the sun.

Social Studies: Regions and Cultures of the Americas
Students create chronological sequences, compare historical periods, and evaluate multiple perspectives on events. They analyze civic virtues and democratic principles, examine concepts of scarcity and opportunity cost, and compare industries and resources across the Americas. Map skills include representing change over time. Students explore how civilizations, cultures, and innovations have influenced history and continue to impact the modern world.

Fifth grade prepares students for middle school with advanced reading analysis, persuasive writing, and complex mathematical operations including fractions and decimals. Students explore earth science, life science, and engineering concepts while studying United States history. Bible lessons emphasize identity in Christ and practical application of faith.

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Bible: Old Testament
Students explore the effects of their choices on relationships and develop greater understanding of their self-worth and identity in Christ. They practice positive character qualities including creativity, honesty, and responsibility, and learn to explain what they believe and why. Students identify God’s attributes and practice godly living through prayer, worship, Bible memory, and quiet times. Critical thinking addresses issues such as sin, salvation, and life after death.

English Language Arts
Students use textual evidence for explanations and inferences, summarize key details, and analyze information from charts, graphs, and timelines. They write persuasive arguments with logical reasoning and detailed examples, producing writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Students conduct research projects, draw evidence from texts to support analysis, and adapt speech to various contexts and tasks.

Mathematics
Students write and interpret numerical expressions and analyze patterns. They understand the place value system including decimals and perform operations with multi-digit whole numbers and decimals to thousandths. Fraction operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, with multi-step real-world problem solving. Students convert units, understand volume concepts, and graph points on coordinate planes to solve problems.

Science: Earth Science, Life Science, and Engineering
Students explain star brightness relative to distance from Earth and patterns of day/night and seasons. They discuss water distribution on Earth and how plants get materials for growth from air and water. Life science covers matter movement among organisms and the environment. Engineering units have students define design problems, generate and compare solutions, plan fair tests, and evaluate how object shapes help solve problems.

Social Studies: United States Studies
Students create chronological sequences, explain different perspectives during historical periods, and describe events from the Revolutionary period to industrialization. They explain how a republic relies on responsible participation, describe the U.S. Constitution and three branches of government, and learn how to address public problems through laws and policies. Economic concepts include financial risk, taxation, and government spending. Map skills represent changes in the United States over time.