Elementary School

At this age, the traditional educational model takes advantage of a child’s abundant energy and thrill for right answers. They memorize, recite, chant facts and sing songs about the ‘grammar’ or basic ‘facts’ of all their subjects, particularly Latin. Students at HCA will have ten years of classical languages: eight years of Latin and two years of Koine Greek. Why Greek? The English language, much like Latin is also based upon Greek roots. Therefore, to better understand English, we study Greek as well. Greek also is the language of the New Testament, so there is the practical value of being able to read the New Testament and study in the original language.

Students will learn to read through phonics, and hand-writing skills using the Institute for Excellence in Writing. They will learn English grammar using the Shurley Method. We will use Veritas history cards in congruence with the Bible time line. Heritage is also committed to using the incremental Saxon math.

The Poll-Parrot stage is the one in which learning by heart is easy and, on the whole, pleasurable; whereas reasoning is difficult and, on the whole, little relished. At this age, one readily memorizes the shapes and appearances of things; one likes to recite the number-plates of cars; one rejoices in the chanting of rhymes and the rumble and thunder of unintelligible polysyllables; one enjoys the mere accumulation of things. (Dorothy Sayers)

Miss Sayers also observed about this level of a child’s education:

The difference will be felt rather in the attitude of the teachers, who must look upon all these activities less as "subjects" in themselves than as a gathering-together of material for use in the next part of the Trivium. What that material is, is only of secondary importance; but it is as well that anything and everything which can be usefully committed to memory should be memorized at this period, whether it is immediately intelligible or not. The modern tendency is to try and force rational explanations on a child's mind at too early an age. Intelligent questions, spontaneously asked, should, of course, receive an immediate and rational answer; but it is a great mistake to suppose that a child cannot readily enjoy and remember things that are beyond his power to analyze--particularly if those things have a strong imaginative appeal (as, for example, "Kubla Kahn"), an attractive jingle (like some of the memory-rhymes for Latin genders), or an abundance of rich, resounding polysyllables (like the Quicunque vult).
Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6
History Geography; US States and Capitals Veritas OT and Ancient Egypt Veritas NT, Greece and Rome Veritas Middle Ages, Renaissance & Reformation Veritas Explorers to 1815 Veritas 1815 - Present
Science Lyrical Life & Earth Science
Theology Bible Stories Jesus & NT Veritas Genesis - Joshua Veritas Judges - Kings Veritas Chronicles - Malachi & Job Veritas Gospels Veritas Acts – Revelation
Math Saxon 2 Saxon 3 Saxon 54 Saxon 65 Saxon 76 Saxon 87
Composition Phonics, Handwriting Institute for Excellence in Writing; IEW Excellence in Spelling IEW; Writing Lessons; Excellence in Spelling (Level B) IEW Writing Intensive (Group A); IEW Excellence in Spelling (Level C) IEW Writing Intensive (Group A); IEW Excellence in Spelling (Level C) IEW Writing Intensive (Group B); Imitation in Writing; The Grammar of Poetry; Vocabulary from Classical Roots A
Literature First Favorites I & 2 [choice titles from catalogue] [choice titles from catalogue] [choice titles from catalogue] [choice titles from catalogue] [choice titles from catalogue]
Grammar Shurley Grammar 1 Shurley Grammar 2 Shurley Grammar 3 Shurley Grammar 4 Shurley Grammar 6 Shurley Grammar 7
Linguistics Prima Latina Latina Angelica Latin for Children A Latin for Children B Latin for Children C Cambridge Latin A
Addenda* PE, Art, Music PE, Art, Music PE, Art, Music PE, Art, Music PE, Art, Music PE, Art, Music

*PE will be M/W/F; Art will be Tues.; Music will be Thurs.

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