Grammar (Elementary) School
The Grammar (or elementary) years at Providence in K-5th grade are a time of fun, joy, and exploration as students make new discoveries each day with both their classmates and family. Students begin with the phonetic recognition of letters and sounds of the English language that become the foundation of wonderful classical literature.
As you walk the hallways, you can overhear the classrooms that are often filled with the chanting, laughing, rhyming, singing voices of excited children who are learning new concepts that will lay the foundation of their education. They learn poetry, folktales, and stories of the past; they also write the stories of the present and the future with creativity and innocence. When Providence students leave fifth grade, their knowledge is bountiful, and their hearts are full of memories that will last a lifetime.
As at traditional five-day schools, grammar school involves teachers, students, and parents. However, the roles of Providence teachers and parents are unique. The teachers bring a new world to students with an exceptional teacher’s heart to reach the hearts of children and convey passion for the subjects they teach. This takes place in a cutting-edge schedule of classes.
Also, particularly unique is the “co-teacher” role of the parent. On satellite campus days during the school year, parents can be found in their home continuing the teaching process with their children. During on-campus school days, parents are welcome to be involved with activities, field trips, or recesses; some parents have been seen throwing a football with students on the playground. We are a family ministry, and parents feel an open door to be a part of this wonderful time in their child’s life.
The grammar years of ABC’s and 123’s usually seem to go by fast for parents, but there is great pleasure for all in these rich school years at Providence Academy.
Kindergarten is a fun year for Providence students to explore and experience the world around them. Some of the curriculum highlights are:
A phonics program that is a learning-to-read curriculum that uses 36 carefully sequenced systematic, explicit phonics instruction to build fluent independent readers.
In math, students will start their education at an advanced pace (one grade ahead), which contains “hands-on” manipulatives. In addition, teachers add supplemental material to create a wonderful, complete program.
In Bible, we utilize curriculum to help students memorize key Bible verses through a system that incorporates auditory, visual and repetitive learning.
Students are exposed to phonetic readers and also incorporate a wide variety of outstanding classical literature in class. At home, parents continue the goal of training children to have a lifetime love for reading.
Students are introduced to Latin or Spanish, the parents' choice, in kindergarten through a customized, age-appropriate curriculum.
In handwriting, the curriculum is Handwriting Without Tears. This curriculum is a multi-sensory program that incorporates songs and jingles and makes cross-curricular connections to other subjects.
In addition to recess, students are able to take advantage of P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs on Fridays.
First Graders are expanding their horizons in a year of building on what was learned in Kindergarten at Providence. Students will continue to be introduced to classical literature, poetry, and classical masters of the time period.
Math skills continue at an advanced pace, utilizing manipulatives and customized supplemental material to ensure mastery of the material for the students.
Students expand their phonics program in first grade through a phonics program where reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and comprehension are integrated with social studies, drama, and music for a more dynamic program
In Bible, we utilize curriculum where scripture will be hidden in your child's heart and bursting out in song. From Genesis and Revelation to Psalms, Proverbs, and Jesus' parables, students read their favorite Bible stories and sing their favorite Bible songs.
Latin students continue their education in Latin utilizing a classical, musical-based curriculum that incorporates songs, illustrations, hand-writing practice, stories and activities for easy mastery and memorization. Spanish students use Teach Them Latin! Grade 1.
In handwriting, students continue to develop beautiful penmanship skills through daily practice using the curriculum Handwriting Without Tears. This curriculum is a multi-sensory program that incorporates songs and jingles and makes cross-curricular connections to other subjects.
In addition to recess, students continue to receive P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs on Fridays.
In Second Grade, Providence students are becoming more independent in their education. Our rich literature program includes the reading of classics such as the Boxcar Children. Phonics will continue to allow students to build their skills in reading, writing, spelling, and grammar. Students will continue to study Math, where all new concepts are developed through hands-on activities and rich mathematical conversations that actively engage students in the learning process. Concepts are developed, reviewed, and practiced over time. Students move from the concrete to the pictorial to the abstract.
In History, students begin the Trivium process of studying Ancient History. The richness of the history of the world comes to life at Providence, as students engage historical fiction such as the Boy of the Pyramids, A Mystery of Ancient Egypt, and they learn key facts and timelines. Students at Providence move beyond traditional history textbooks to learn from different authors about the nomads, as well as ancient civilizations. With so many parents having learned in traditional classrooms as children, Providence 2nd grade history is truly a wonderful experience for both parents and students. In Latin, our program includes weekly lessons with a grammar skill, vocabulary words with corresponding English derivatives, a practical Latin phrase, and one line of a prayer that is learned in totality over multiple lessons. Our goal is to provide an early foundation of Latin and lay the foundation of a rigorous language arts program.
Second-grade students get to take advantage of recess in addition to receiving P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs on Fridays.
Providence Third Graders continue to develop more independent study skills. They are expected to begin to manage their time more efficiently, as they work through their weekly assignments. In addition, they will begin working on projects to bring their classroom subjects to life. The mathematics department curriculum continues to expand their horizons with multiplication and division.
In History, students will move into a time of studying the Roman Empire, the foundation of our democratic system by exploring the history of Greece. Also, Literature is alive and well at Providence, as students are traveling to Narnia, and many other distant lands as they explore the rich, great classical novels of the past. In grammar, students continue to learn the English language along with an understanding of how it's correctly used. Students will repeatedly practice old and new skills, developing a mastery of English in reading, writing and even thinking skills.
In foreign language, Latin students continue with their study utilizing Song School Latin II, and Spanish students use Teach Them Spanish! Grade 3. These subjects are made engaging and enjoyable to students. Please note that students who are new to Providence are normally able to join these classes and do quite well.
In science, students learn about the human body, with an emphasis on the sense organs and how they work. Students then explore the world of plants, and later, the world of animals, becoming familiar with invertebrates and vertebrates and how to classify them. Students will "visit" the ocean, desert, pond, forest, and field, observing plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates in these environments from a Christian perspective.
In addition to recess, Grammar School students continue to receive P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs, such as 3-D Printing, on Fridays.
In fourth grade, students continue to expand their horizons as they gain more independence in their education. In Mathematics, students continue to master their multiplication and division facts, as well as move into division algorithms, fractions, and writing numbers as improper fractions. The mathematics program Providence uses is designed for students to understand more mathematics, become more confident in doing math, and prepare them for success in the upper school courses.
The science course allows students to observe and understand in the world around them. They are able to encounter heat & energy and machines & motion--to learn laws of Nature God has created and how we interact with these forces.
In History, students expand their knowledge of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation time periods through the study of the historical facts such as the barbarian invasions, European feudalism, the development of nation-states, and the rise of Christendom in Europe. The study and understanding of classical literature is also expanded through the eyes of authors such as Sid Fleischman and Beverly Cleary, and many other great writers of the past. Latin instruction is also continued with expanded Grammar training, and students are encouraged to do more reading in Latin.Providence offers both summer introductory Latin courses for new students, as well as tutorial sessions outside of class to ensure students are able to master the material.
The study of Bible is a cornerstone of the Providence education, blended throughout all of the subjects and material. It is the goal of the academy to prepare students to possess a Biblical Worldview, as well as be able to defend their Christian faith.
In foreign language, Latin students continue with their study of vocabulary and grammar of the language, and Spanish students use Teach Them Spanish! Grade 4. These subjects are made engaging and enjoyable to students. Please note that students who are new to Providence are normally able to join these classes and do quite well.
In addition to recess, fourth grade students continue to receive P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs, such as 3-D Printing, on Fridays.
As students move into fifth grade, the curriculum continues the school’s mission to "train students in a classical education with a Biblical worldview, all to God’s glory”. Emphasis is placed upon providing students with rich and quality curriculum and instruction from our gifted college of faculty, as well as high expectations and willingness of students. Successful Providence students in the fifth grade should be able to study independently at home, and parents and students need to understand the value of a college-preparatory education.
The History curriculum is also designed to equip the students for service to God. This is achieved by teaching from a Christ-centered worldview; by providing instruction in the Christian faith; by following the classical model to develop learning, thinking, and rhetorical skills.
The “core” courses at Providence for fifth grade include history, mathematics, natural science, and Bible study. In History, students learn about early history from the time of explorers to the foundations of the colonies. Teachers utilize resources such as The Story of the World, Volume 3, from a well-written series of history resources that take a story-book approach, and they source Veritas history cards. The study of Latin or Spanish continues as part of the classical education at Providence, and acclaimed authors of the past come to life in the classroom through selected literature such as Where the Red Fern Grows and The Witch at Blackbird Pond. Students will be able to master writing two-point expository paragraphs, as well as gain a sound base for writing three-point expository paragraphs.
In science, the course introduces students to great scientists and naturalists, as well as expands their understanding of light, energy, and minerals. In mathematics, students will learn estimation, patterns, and percentages. In addition, they will learn about square roots, unit conversions, and probability word problems. In Bible, this course will reinforce basic knowledge of the gospels: the central events, places, and themes of the ministries of Jesus, the historical framework of this remarkable period when God became man and dwelt among us.
In addition to recess, fifth grade students continue to receive P.E., STEM Lab, Art and Music. Providence also offers various optional clubs, such as 3-D Printing, on Fridays.