The Mars Hill Academy Board Would Like to Acknowledge All the People Who Worked So Hard

Mars Hill

Academy

Curriculum Guide

August 6, 2007

Soli Deo Gloria

This Curriculum Guide is dedicated to the glory of God.

Acknowledgements

The Mars Hill Academy Board would like to acknowledge all the people who worked so hard to complete this Curriculum Guide. As a small school, just growing from “childhood” through “adolescence,” we did not have the resources to devote a full-time staff member to document, compile, review, and publish this guide. Instead, we asked every one of our teachers and staff members to go beyond their full-time roles to contribute to the completion of the MHA Curriculum Guide. This guide is the product of the entire MarsHillAcademy faculty and staff.

The MHA Board is extremely grateful to every contributor. We are grateful because this guide provides a foundation for further improvement of MHA. We hope it also provides encouragement to other schools that good progress can be made toward recovering the lost tools of learning, without many extra resources.

The MHA Board would also like to thank the LogosSchool in Moscow, Idaho and the VeritasAcademy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for their inspiration and groundbreaking work on defining a Classical and Christian Curriculum. We have benefited from their examples, which is one of the reasons we have decided to provide the MHA Curriculum Guide freely to any requestor.

The lists below are an attempt to recognize the significant roles played by each contributor.

MHA Board Curriculum Committee:

Mathew Beatty – Headmaster

Paul Brinkerhoff

Arthur Hart – Chairman

Patty Morwood

Martha Ryan

Leslee Stollberg

Tom Thistleton – MHA Board Chairman

Authors:

Wendy Arredondo

Mathew Beatty

Paul Brinkerhoff

Clark Brooking

Matt Colvin

Tim Giese

Arthur Hart

Grace Hart

Meg Heuck

Carol Holland

Ruth Hopson

Kristen Johnson

Kim Knight

Patty Morwood

Amy Nordin

Tammy Peters

Martha Ryan

Mark Shaw

Leslee Stollberg

Kim Swanson

Linda Thistleton

Support Volunteers:

Lisa Cotterman

Patsy Hall

Synthia Holt

Tammy Peters

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

Process to Update Curriculum

Graduation Requirements

Bible......

Kindergarten Bible

First Grade Bible

Second Grade Bible

Third Grade Bible

Fourth Grade Bible

Fifth Grade Bible

Sixth Grade Bible

Old Testament Survey (7th Grade)

New Testament Survey (8th Grade)

Biblical Interpretation (9th Grade)

Doctrine (10th Grade)

Apologetics (11th Grade)

Biblical Worldview Capstone (12th Grade)

Orthography (Writing/Spelling)

Kindergarten Orthography (Writing Road to Reading)

First Grade Orthography (Writing Road to Reading)

Second Grade Orthography (Writing Road to Reading)

Third Grade Orthography (Writing Road to Reading)

Reading/Literature (K-8)

Kindergarten Reading

First Grade Reading

Second Grade Reading

Third Grade Reading

Fourth Grade Literature

Fifth Grade Literature

Sixth Grade Literature

Seventh Grade Literature and Composition

Eighth Grade Literature and Composition

English Grammar and Composition

First Grade English Grammar and Composition

Second Grade English Grammar and Composition

Third Grade English Grammar and Composition

Fourth Grade English Grammar and Composition

Fifth Grade English Grammar and Composition

Sixth Grade English Grammar and Composition

History/Geography

First Grade Geography

Second Grade History (Greek)/Geography

Third Grade History (Roman)/Geography

Fourth Grade History (Middle Ages)/Geography

Fifth Grade History (Renaissance and Reformation)/Geography

Sixth Grade History (American History)/Geography

Eighth Grade History – American Constitution

Rhetoric-level Humanities

Antiquity (9th Grade)

Christendom (10th Grade)

American Humanities (11th Grade)

Modernity (12th Grade)

Classical and Modern Languages

Latin Ia (4th Grade)

Latin Ib (5th Grade)

Latin IIa (6th Grade)

Latin IIb (7th Grade)

Latin III – Translation (8th Grade) Course Description

Spanish I

Spanish II

Ancient Greek I

Ancient Greek II

Logic & Rhetoric

Logic I (7th Grade)

Logic II (8th Grade)

Rhetoric I (11th Grade)

Rhetoric II (12th Grade)

Mathematics

Kindergarten Mathematics

First Grade Mathematics

Second Grade Mathematics

Third Grade Mathematics

Fourth Grade Mathematics

Fifth Grade Mathematics

Sixth Grade Mathematics

Algebra Ia (7th Grade)

Algebra Ib (8th Grade)

Geometry (9th Grade)

Advanced Algebra (10th Grade)

Integrated Pre-college Mathematics (11th Grade)

Calculus (12th Grade)

Science

Third Grade Science

Fourth Grade Science

Fifth Grade Science

Sixth Grade Science

Earth Science (7th Grade)

Physics (9th Grade)

Chemistry (10th Grade)

Biology (11th Grade)

Physics (12th Grade)

Music

First Grade Music

Second Grade Music

Third Grade Music

Fourth Grade Music

Fifth Grade Music

Sixth Grade Music

Seventh & Eighth Grade Music

Ninth through Twelfth Grade Choir

Ninth through Twelfth Grade Chamber Singers

Art

Kindergarten Art

First Grade Art

Second Grade Art

Third Grade Art

Fourth Grade Art

Fifth Grade Art

Sixth Grade Art

Process to Update Curriculum

Rationale:

The process to update the MarsHillAcademy curriculum is designed to ensure proper review of changes for the following reasons:

To ensure adequate coverage of a subject within a specific course
To ensure the appropriateness of the subject material
To ensure that the course material contributes to the goals of the subject area
To ensure a smooth transition and adequate review from year to year in a subject area
To reinforce the best classical methods and Christian worldview principles

Review Participants:

Three different groups are involved in the review process: the Faculty Subject Area Committees, the Board Curriculum Committee, and the Mars Hill Academy Board.

Faculty Subject Area Committee:

A Faculty Subject Area Committee should exist for each major subject area in this guide (e.g., Mathematics, Music, etc.) and be composed of all the teachers who teach courses in that subject area. The committee should have a designated Chairperson assigned by the Headmaster. The Headmaster should be invited to all committee meetings but not required to attend.

Board Curriculum Committee:

The Board Curriculum Committee should be a standing committee of the Mars Hill Academy Board. A current Board member should be the Chairman of the committee, and it should include one additional Board member, the Headmaster, and at least one faculty representative from the RhetoricSchool and one from the Grammar School.

Review Process:

The update process can be initiated as part of an ongoing curriculum review schedule or on an ad hoc basis by a teacher who desires to make a change to a course description. In either case, the teacher desiring the change should write a draft of the proposed new course description and follow the process below.

Submit the draft to the relevant Faculty Subject Area Committee for discussion and review. If the Faculty Subject Area Committee approves of the change, …
Submit the draft to the Board Curriculum Committee for discussion and review. If the Board Curriculum Committee approves of the change, they will create a recommendation of appropriate action to the MHA Board.
Submit the recommendation to the Mars Hill Academy Board for review and final approval. If the MHA Board approves the change, …
Update the official copies of this Curriculum Guide, and publish the change in the school newsletter and on the school web site.

Curriculum Review Schedule:

The Board Curriculum Committee will create a schedule of regular curriculum reviews and a curriculum review calendar to ensure continual improvement in all curriculum subject areas, e.g., review one subject area per year beginning in January with recommendations by May.

Graduation Requirements

In the Grammar School (Grades K-6) at MarsHillAcademy, students are expected to complete all the courses for their grade level. There are no optional courses. Students entering MHA in Grammar School will be tested for admission to the appropriate grade level. Remedial tutoring will be made available to assist students to catch up to their grade in Latin if necessary. Students that complete the MHAGrammar School curriculum will be granted admission to the MHARhetoricSchool (Grades 7-12). Students applying to the MHARhetoricSchool from another school must pass an admission test. To graduate with a diploma from MarsHillAcademy, RhetoricSchool students must complete the following minimum requirements beginning with the class of 2005.

Subject Area / Courses (# of credits) / Credits
Bible / 2
Biblical Interpretation (0.5)
Doctrine (0.5)
Apologetics (0.5)
Biblical Worldview Capstone (0.5)
Humanities / 8
Antiquity (2)
Christendom (2)
American Humanities (2)
Modernity (2)
Classical and Modern Languages (Spanish or Greek) / 2
Spanish I (1)
Spanish II (1)
Ancient Greek I (1)
Ancient Greek II (1)
Rhetoric / 2
Rhetoric I (1)
Rhetoric II, incl. Senior Thesis (1)
Mathematics / 3
Geometry (1)
Advanced Algebra (1)
Integrated Math or Pre-Calculus (1)
Science / 3
Conceptual Physics (1)
Chemistry (1)
Biology (1)
Electives / 1
Calculus (1)
Physics (1)
Additional language (Spanish or Greek)
Choir, Chamber Singers, Studio Art (0.25/sem.)
College courses or directed independent study
Total Credits Required / 21

* The equivalent of two years of Latin and one year of Logic is also required.

Bible

Philosophy Statement

The Bible is God’s Word. This sets the Bible apart from all other objects of study, along with its other claims for itself: that it is truth, that not one letter or stroke will pass away until all is accomplished, that it is the product of God’s creative power operating through holy men in such a way that the result is infallible and sufficient to perfectly equip God’s people for life and godliness. It is the only firm foundation for all human knowledge, and the only sure ground for faith and life.

At the same time, the Scriptures testify that they can only be properly understood and received by those who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and that those who are ignorant or willfully disobedient often distort their meaning. Diligence in study of the Scriptures and an eagerness to obey what they say are prerequisites to right understanding. As students do this, it will season their understanding in every area of their learning, transforming all their thoughts and actions as they grow more and more into the mind of Christ.

Statement of Pedagogy

In the Grammar division, the study of the Bible will focus on people, places, promises, and events. A balance of rote memorization and narrative will convey the information needed to give students a familiarity with both the broad outline of redemptive history as well as particular details. An increasing emphasis on critical thinking in the Rhetoric division will result in lectures that focus on more broad analysis, examination of key passages in greater depth, and discussion, writing assignments, and oral presentations that sharpen students’ understanding and develop their ability to express it.

Division Goals

Grammar:

The student will understand the Bible to be the self-revelation of God, showing His character and His dealings with men based on His promises.
The student will understand that God’s work of redemption has been carried out in time and space, and will know a timeline of redemptive history from the Fall to the coming of Christ, as well as maps depicting where these events took place.
The student will know how the path of wisdom diverges from the path of foolishness, and what consequences God has ordained for those who keep His covenant and for those who depart from it or reject it.
The student will be able to recite substantial portions of Scripture and the Westminster Shorter Catechism that highlight the above.

Rhetoric:

The student will embrace the claims of Christ and the life of Christian discipleship.
The student will achieve mastery of the data of the Bible.
The student will be familiar with using Bible reference tools.
The student will understand and appreciate the role that extra-biblical contextual data plays in helping to interpret the Scriptures.
The student will understand and appreciate the role that knowledge of the original languages of the Scriptures plays in helping to interpret them.
The student will understand and recognize throughout the Scriptures such unifying themes as the covenant, the Messiah, the law of God, and the kingdom of God.
The student will understand and read Scripture as an organic whole, revealing a single unified divine plan as it unfolds in stages throughout history.
The student will recognize the antithesis between the wisdom of God as found in the Scriptures and the wisdom of man.
The student will be equipped to stand firm in the face of unbelieving textual criticism and pseudo-Christian doctrines.
The student will make fitting application of Biblical truths to his own life, to the life of the Church, and to contemporary culture and society.
The student will sharpen his skills of researching, outlining, and summarizing, as well as his ability to express his questions and conclusions both orally and in writing.
The student will generalize from specific incidents, make application from general principles, link cause with consequence, and organize and assign levels of importance to large amounts of information.

Kindergarten Bible

Course Description

The majority of the class time will be spent helping our students become familiar with the great narrative portions of the Bible as they have been summarized in Catherine Vos’ classic The Child’s Story Bible. Most of the readings will come from the Books of Moses and the Gospels; stories found in the historical books and in the Acts and Letters of the New Testament will be read as time permits. In each story, the students’ attention will be drawn to God’s glory and attributes (as they are demonstrated in respective stories) and to his great work of redemption. Students will memorize important portions of Scripture, facts about the stories read in class, and the very elementary doctrinal statements. Students will also memorize many great hymns of praise.

Course Goals

Students will become familiar with many of the important stories recorded in the Bible, from Creation to David, and the Gospels.
Students will develop an ability to re-tell (narrate) the stories read in class in their own words.
Students will develop a love for Bible reading.
Students will take pleasure in singing praise to the LORD and in memorizing and obeying His Word.

Course Objectives

The students will be able to:

Answer basic questions about God, his existence, attributes, and the Bible as His only written Word.
Identify the two parts of the Bible, the Old and New Testaments.
Identify major characters in the Bible and the attributes and/or actions for which they are most remembered.
Describe the key people and events in each Bible story read and discussed in class.
Memorize a Bible passage each month and recite it for the teacher.
Learn one verse of a hymn or psalm each week and participate in daily singing and praying.
Memorize and recite elementary doctrinal questions and answers from the “Easy Questions for Little Children” Catechism.
Recite the Lord’s Prayer from memory.

Classical and Christian Methods

Large group instruction – using Bible reading, catechetical questions/answers, story telling, pictures, recitation, singing, etc.
Recitation of verses, facts, and catechism answers individually and corporately
Daily prayers (teacher directed, modeled)
Projects and artwork, integrated with other subject areas

Worldview Principles

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, so it is always true and never wrong.
Lessons learned from the characters in the Bible apply to our lives.
Our worship pleases God.

Texts and Materials

The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos
The Pictorial Primer: Easy Lessons for Little Ones at Home
Hymns

Time Allotted

Five 35-minute periods per week

First Grade Bible

Course Description

Bible 1 will continue to build upon the solid foundation of Biblical literacy begun in Kindergarten through reading The Child’s Story Bible. The Bible readings cover Exodus through Malachi and selected books from New Testament, which will acquaint the students with the entire scope of the Biblical Testimony. As in Kindergarten, the students’ attention will be drawn to God’s glory and attributes as they are demonstrated in respective stories. The course will reinforce the Biblical admonition against idolatry and God’s great work of redemption through faith by grace. Students will memorize important portions of Scripture, facts about the stories read in class, and the very elementary doctrinal statements. Students will also memorize many great hymns and spiritual songs of praise.

Course Goals

Students will become familiar with many of the important stories recorded in the Bible.
Students will develop an ability to re-tell (narrate) the stories read in class in their own words, emphasizing God’s sovereign control of events and the pursuit of His glory.
Students will develop a love for Bible reading.
Students will take pleasure in singing praise to the LORD and in memorizing and obeying His Word.

Course Objectives