It is the aim of Regina Angelorum Academy to promote and nurture the intellectual growth and talents of elementary school children through the time-tested Classical Liberal Arts course of study. Students study and learn in a wholesome and rigorous academic environment. The Catholic faculty integrates the Magisterial teaching, Scripture, and Tradition of the Catholic Church throughout the curriculum. In partnership with their families, boys and girls are taught to be effective Catholic citizens and leaders. Students are taught to know, love, and serve God and neighbor, aware of their ultimate purpose in life – eternal happiness with God in Heaven.
The fundamental principles of Classical Education are based on practical wisdom that has been the foundation of Catholic education from the beginning. The keystone of Classical Education is the Trivium which simply recognizes the natural development of a child. These can be thought of as the knowledge, understanding and wisdom stages of human development. “The Trivium applies in nearly every educational sphere because it accounts for the entire range of what education is supposed to do: The learner must acquire information, grasp it intellectually, and use it purposefully.” Sometimes these three development phases are termed the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages of learning.
Our Classical Curriculum
At Regina Angelorum Academy, the core curriculum includes the subject areas of English, math, history and geography, science, Latin, music, and the arts. English starts with early, systematic phonics instruction. Reading, especially the classics, and writing are central to our program and critical to developing the articulation and learning skills that are so vital for success in today’s society.
The Catholic Faith is the foundation on which all course work rests, and it is a part of its exposition. All branches of knowledge are connected because they are intimately united to the work of our Creator. Catholic truth, therefore, will complete the appreciation of each subject and demonstrate the wholeness of that truth. For example, history will focus on God’s plan of salvation. Science will place emphasis on what the natural world tells us about God. Reading and writing assignments will include the lives of the saints. Art and music will focus on the sacred as well as the secular.
Regina Angelorum Academy: Classical Curriculum Framework
It is the Mission of Regina Angelorum Academy to promote and nurture the intellectual growth and talents of elementary school children through the time-tested classical curriculum liberal arts course of study. Students study and learn in a wholesome and rigorous academic environment. The Catholic faculty integrates the Magisterial teaching, Scripture and Tradition of the Catholic Church throughout the curriculum. In partnership with their families, boys and girls are taught to be effective Catholic citizens and leaders. They are taught to know, love and serve God and neighbor, aware of their ultimate purpose in life – eternal happiness with God in Heaven.
The fundamental principles of classical curriculum education are based on practical wisdom that has been the foundation of Catholic education from the beginning. The keystone of classical curriculum education is the Trivium which simply recognizes the natural development of a child. These can be thought of as the knowledge, understanding and wisdom stages of human development. The Trivium applies in nearly every educational sphere because it accounts for the entire range of what education is supposed to do: The learner must acquire information, grasp it intellectually, and use it purposefully. Sometimes these three development phases are termed the grammar, logic and rhetoric stages of learning.
Classical Core Curriculum
At Regina Angelorum Academy, the core classical curriculum includes the five subject areas of English, math, history and geography, science, Latin, music and the arts. English starts with early, systematic phonics instruction. Reading, especially the classics, and writing are central to our program and critical to developing the articulation and learning skills that are so vital for success in today’s society.
The Catholic Faith is the foundation on which all course work rests and it is a part of its exposition. All branches of knowledge are connected together because they are intimately united to the work of our Creator. Catholic truth, therefore, will complete the appreciation of each subject and demonstrate the wholeness of that truth. For example, history will focus on God’s plan of salvation. Science will place emphasis on what the natural world tells us about God. Reading and writing assignments will include the lives of the saints. Art and music will focus on the sacred as well as the secular.
| Grammar Stage | Grades 1 – 4 | “What” | Knowledge Base | Direct Instruction Narration Socratic Dialogue | Building the Foundation |
| Logic/Dialectic Stage | Grades 5 – 8 | “How” and “Why” | Understanding | Narration Direct Instruction Socratic Dialogue | Using Knowledge to Reason and Seek Truth |
| Developing the Foundation of Knowledge | ||||
| Cognitive Taxonomy | Knowledge | Comprehension | ||
| Description | Recalling or remembering something without necessarily understanding, using or changing it. | Understanding something that has been communicated without necessarily relating it to anything else. | ||
| Skills | Define, describe, identify, label, list, match, memorize, observe, point to, read, recite, recall, re-tell, select, state. | Alter, account for, annotate, calculate, change, convert, dictate, group, explain, generalize, give examples, illustrate, infer, interpret, paraphrase, review, summarize, and translate. | ||
| Grades | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Assessments | Iowa Assessment Cognitive Abilities Assessment | Iowa Assessment Cognitive Abilities Assessment | Iowa Assessment Cognitive Abilities Assessment | Iowa Assessment Cognitive Abilities Assessment |
| Evaluation Tools | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios |
| History | Ancient History: Cradle of Civilization and Egypt. Historical fiction | Ancient History: Greece and Rome Historical fiction | Middle Ages- Age of Exploration Historical fiction | Early American History Historical fiction |
| Literature Note: the lists are illustrative, not definitive or complete. Every grade will memorize select poems. | Aesop’s Fables Hans Christian Andersen’s and Grimm’s Fairy Tales Beatrix Potter stories Catholic Children’s Treasure Box stories American Tall Tales | Greek and Roman Mythology Billy and Blaze Series King of the Golden City The Family Under the Bridge The Little House Tommie de Paola books | The Trumpet of the Swan Charlotte’s Web Little House on the Prairie Books Paddle to the Sea St. Benedict | Peter Pan The Jungle Book Heidi Treasure Island A Tree for Peter Percy Wynn Series St. Therese |
| Language Arts | Shurley Grammar; Explicit Phonics Instruction using an Orton-Gillingham based program. Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Poetry Print handwriting | Shurley Grammar; Explicit Phonics Instruction using an Orton-Gillingham based program. Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Poetry Cursive handwriting | Shurley and Fix It!Grammar Explicit Phonics Instruction using an Orton-Gillingham based program Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Poetry Cursive handwriting | Shurley Grammar; Spelling using Just Words Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Poetry Cursive handwriting |
| Catholic Faith | Baltimore Catechism Lives of the Saints Faith & Life Education in Virtue Participation in the Sacramental life of the school. | Baltimore Catechism Lives of the Saints Faith & Life Education in Virtue Participation in the Sacramental life of the school. | Baltimore Catechism Lives of the Saints Faith & Life Series Education in Virtue Participation in the Sacramental life of the school. | Baltimore Catechism Lives of the Saints Faith and Life Series Education in Virtue Participation in the Sacramental life of the school. |
| Mathematics | Saxon Math 2 | Saxon Math 3 | Saxon Math 4 | Saxon Math 5/4 or 6/5 |
| Science | Developmental Biology—Describing the Life Stages of Human Beings Botany—Observing Trees Earth and Space—Exploring Sunlight, Water, and Soil Zoology—Investigating Animals and Their Habitats Anatomy—Discovering What Is Inside Our Bodies Entomology—Examining Characteristics of Insects | Physics—Investigating the Physical Properties of Matter Geology—Observing Rocks and Minerals Physics—Investigating Forces and Work Physics—Examining Simple Machines Physics—Exploring Sound and Light Ornithology—Investigating Birds | Astronomy—Exploring Our Solar System Chemistry—Investigating Elements and Compounds Physics—Observing Physical Changes Meteorology—Investigating Changes in Our Atmosphere Geology—Exploring the Earth’s Structure Botany—Examining the Structure and Function of Parts of Seed Plants Zoology—Investigating Amphibians and Reptiles | Biology—Exploring the Characteristics of Cells Botany—Examining and Classifying Plants Zoology—Investigating Characteristics of Animals Ecology—Examining Ecosystems Physics—Exploring Energy Physics—Investigating Electricity |
| Latin | Song School Latin 1 | Song School Latin 1 | Song School Latin 2 | Latin for Children: Primer A |
| Art | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques |
| Music | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method* of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method* of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method* of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method* of choral singing |
| Physical Activity | PE once/week; two recesses | PE once/week; two recesses | PE once/week; two recesses | PE once/week; two recesses |
| Logic / Dialectic | Developing Understanding and Analysis | |||
| Cognitive Taxonomy | Application | Analysis | ||
| Description | Using a general concept to solve problems in a particular situation; using learned material in new and concrete situations. | Breaking something down into its parts; may focus on identification of parts and analysis of relationships between parts or recognition of organizational principles. | ||
| Skills | Apply, adopt, collect, construct, demonstrate, discover, illustrate, infer, outline, point out, select, separate, sort, and subdivide. | Analyze, compare, contrast, diagram, differentiate, dissect, distinguish, identify, illustrate, infer, outline, paraphrase, point out, review, select, separate , sort, and subdivide. | ||
| Grades | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
| Assessments | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test | Iowa Achievement Test |
| Evaluation Tools | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios | Student Portfolios |
| History | Greece and Rome | Medieval and Renaissance | Reformation and Enlightenment | Civil War to WWII |
| Literature and Poetry Note: the lists are illustrative, not definitive or complete. Every grade will memorize select poems. | Little Women, Beowulf, The Secret Garden, The Whipping Boy, Johnny Tremain, Tales from Shakespeare, Chronicles of Narnia, Greek and Roman Myths, The Red Badge of Courage, Animal Farm, The Light in the Forest, The Gift of the Magi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Sounder, The Hobbit, Where the Red Fern Grows, Anne of Green Gables, Canterbury Tales, Outlaws of Ravenhurst, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lives of the Saints, Shakespeare, Treasure Island, Fierce A variety of classical poems are memorized throughout the year. | |||
| Language Arts | Fix It! Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Cursive handwriting Spelling | Fix It! Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Cursive handwriting Spelling | Fix It! Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Cursive handwriting Spelling | Fix It! Grammar Composition using Institute for Excellence in Writing Cursive handwriting Spelling |
| Catholic Faith | Introduction to Sacred Old Testament Scripture: The Bible Timeline Faith & Life Series Education in Virtue Lives of the Saints | Sacraments, Ten Commandments and the Creed Faith & Life Series Education in Virtue Lives of the Saints | New Testament and the Person of Jesus Christ Faith and Life Series Education in Virtue Lives of the Saints | The Church: Living as an Intentional Disciple of Christ Faith and Life Series Education in Virtue Lives of the Saints |
| Mathematics | Saxon Math 6/5 or 7/6 | Saxon Math 7/6 or Saxon Algebra 1/2 | Saxon Algebra ½ or Algebra 1 | Algebra 1 or Geometry |
| Science | Astronomy—Exploring the Universe Chemistry—Examining the Structure of Matter Chemistry—Investigating Matter and Its Interactions Environmental Science—Examining the Interactions of the Earth’s Systems Physics—Exploring Forces and Motion Engineering—Investigating Tools and Machines | Earth Science Demonstrations and Experimental investigation | Physical Science Demonstrations and Experimental Investigation | Life Science Demonstrations and Experimental Investigation |
| Latin | Latin for Children Primer B | Lingua Latina | Lingua Latina | Lingua Latina |
| Art | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques | Artist study Art Theory Drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques |
| Music | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method* of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method of choral singing | Composer study Music appreciation and theory Ward Method of choral singing |
| Physical Activity | PE once/week; two recesses daily | PE once/week;two recesses daily | PE once/week; two recesses daily | PE once/week; two recesses daily |
Classical Curriculum Education- The Movement Sweeping America, Gene E. Veith Jr. and Andrew Kem, Capital Research Center, 2001, p. 13
*The Ward Method of Music Instruction is classical pedagogy for students in Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. It is unique in that it is a progressive program of music instruction encompassing modern music theory as well as Gregorian chant.