St. Pius X Classical Academy offers a unique emphasis on the intellectual skills and habits that prepare each student for life-long learning. The learning process is designed to be logical and sequential. The first four years concentrates on the grammar of the subjects: their structure and objective characteristics. The last four year emphasizes the logic or relationships of these characteristics, leading the students to master and communicate what they have learned.
The Classical curriculum excels in maximizing opportunities for students to make cross-curricular links between subjects. For example, if a student is studying the renaissance in history, then he/she is also learning about the discoveries made during this time period in science class while simultaneously learning about the saints that lived during this time period in religion class. This cross-curricular linking allows the student to logically formulate an idea of what someone during this time period may have thought, experienced, or even witnessed. Because these subject links are possible, it is then possible for our teachers to team together and integrate their lessons into a seamless process of information for the students. Students are then in the perfect position to analyze and draw conclusions.
History
The history and science portions of the Classical Curriculum are cyclical. The time periods and subject are introduced in grades 1-4 then repeated and expounded in grades 5-8. In addition to the Diocesan curriculum, each grade level (1-8) places emphasis in both history and science on the time periods as follows:
Grade 1 –Ancients (5000 B.C. – 400 A.D.)
Grade 2 – Medieval – Early Renaissance (400 –1600)
Grade 3 – Late Renaissance – Early Modern (1600 – 1850)
Grade 4 – Modern (1850 – Present)
Grade 5 – Ancients (5000 B.C. – 400 A.D.)
Grade 6 – Medieval – Early Renaissance (400—1600)
Grade 7 – Late Renaissance – Early Modern (1600 – 1850)
Grade 8 –Modern (1850 – Present)
Students in grades one through four follow a procedure for exploring the different periods of time: narratives, illustrations, map exploration, and library research. The lower grades supplement their reading and writing skills by writing narratives and essays on material covered. Students in grades five through eight take this same period of history and organize and evaluate these facts.
The method of organization involve four elements: 1) creating a time line 2) outlining 3) using and evaluating primary resources 4) organizing this information into a history notebook. Each of these elements serves as an essential tool for the student’s development of critical thinking skills.
Creating a time line teaches the student to trace chronological connections; outlining trains the student to find the fundamental argument of a speech or essay; the use of primary sources teaches the student to interpret material for himself/herself rather than relying on another expert’s interpretation; organizing information into the divisions of history help the student to classify similar events and historical trends.
In each grade level (1 –8), history be used as a vehicle for students to master their writing skills. One of the most serious difficulties facing high school and college students today is an inability to express their thoughts and theories effectively in prose. The history portion of our curriculum lend itself to the development of reading and writing skills by training the students to outline ideas and arguments, develop research skills, and effectively write research papers and essays.
Science
The science curriculum, as aforementioned, is cyclical and focuses on the specific area of discipline developed during that time period being studied in the students’ history lessons. The science curriculum follows the Diocesan curriculum with an emphasis in the following areas of study (literature, composition and writing are all integrated in each subject area):
Grade 1 – Biology
Grade 2 – Earth Science and Astronomy
Grade 3 – Chemistry
Grade 4 – Physics
Grade 5 – Biology
Grade 6 – Earth Science and Astronomy
Grade 7 – Chemistry
Grade 8 – Physics
In the first four years of school, the beginning science student explores the physical world: biology, earth science and astronomy, chemistry, and physics. Although textbooks are implemented in second grade, the primary vehicle for learning is through observation and experimentation.
Beginning in the fifth year of study, the student further explores each area of science commensurate with the new skills that accompany maturity. A science notebook serves as yet another opportunity for students to improve upon their writing and communication skills. Students record observations and experiments, analyze data, and draw logical conclusions, all recorded in their notebooks. Each subject area of science corresponds to the history period the student studies, once again maximizing the cross curricular links in the Classical method of study.
Latin
The curriculum also will include the use of the Latin language which serve several very important and distinct purposeOver fifty percent of the English language is derived from the Latin language. Second, Latin is the key to all the Romance languages. Students who have studied Latin are better prepared to study Spanish, French, or Italian when they enter high school and college. Finally, the study of Latin serves to preserve the mother language of the Catholic Church thereby ensuring the passing down of our Catholic heritage.
Grades 3 – 4 concentrate primarily on vocabulary in lessons twice each week. Formal study begins in 5th grade using the Latin Primer (Prima Latina – Memoria Press and Henle First Year Latin) and continue through the 8th grade.
Math
The four years of elementary math, first through fourth grade, lay the foundation for the high-level abstract thinking required by algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. The classical curriculum emphasizes a firm grasp of relationships between numbers and the use of concrete models and manipulatives to reinforce concepts. During the logic stage in grades five through eight, the students must learn to make the transition from the mental image mode of objects to the symbolic mode or use of numbers to represent meaning. The current curriculum that we are using is exactly what is representative of a classical math curriculum. In fact, Saxon Math in the upper grades is the number one suggested math program for a classical curriculum. Therefore, we continue with the Saxon math program next year.
Grades 1—3 (McGraw Hill)
Grades 4—5 Saxon Math
Grade 6-8 Courses 1-3 Saxon Math
Religion:
Our current religion curriculum is also representative of the classical curriculum. We continue to use the Faith and Life series; in addition to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level II Atrium to the 2nd and 3rd grade curriculum as well. The students go to the Atrium once a week. The 2nd and 3rd grade also use the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 1.
Junior High Students focus more on use of the Bible as a primary source for study of Old and New Testament in addition to the use of the Faith and Life texts. The eighth grade year focuses on the study of the Church, morality, and Confirmation preparation.
Language Arts K-6 The emphasis in the Grammar stage is on the building blocks of language: phonics, spelling, vocabulary, and rules of grammar. The students use the Voyages series grammar texts, Wordly Wise Vocabulary, and Modern Curriculum Press phonics to practice these skills. In addition, they begin practicing writing by imitation of quality writing samples using the Excellence in Writing program.
By 5th and 6th grade, there is greater emphasis on mastery of the grammar and writing compositions of 1-5 paragraphs including summaries of references, narratives, and reports.
Reading: 3 – 4 uses the Open Court Reading Text; Teachers also supplement literature books in addition to the Open Court Reading. Some of these books are: The Magician’s Nephew, Sarah, Plain and Tall, Charlotte’s Web, The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie, and Tuck Everlasting. In addition to reading and studying a variety of literature, the students have learned the art of writing poetry when they set out to have their poems published in a book this year. Each student published a 14 page book of their personal poems.
7-8 Composition: Emphasis in the Logic stage is on effective writing. Students write compositions on a weekly or bi-weekly basis that cross over with studies in their content areas (Religion, Literature, Science, and History). During this course the students focus on improvement of stylistic techniques, alternating sentences, effective use of words, and logical development of ideas. Writing includes narratives, reports, persuasive essays, creative writing, business letters, and a research paper.
5-8 Literature: The study of Literature in 5-8th grade is designed to support the History curriculum. Why integrate Literature and History? This is the classical approach to the study of history. A study of the ancient world necessarily involves a study of the stories, the plays, the recordings of the various rulers, battles, and other events in order to understand the mind of the people. A good historian relies more heavily on primary sources than on secondary sources. In the tradition of the Trivium as first proposed by Isocrates the emphasis is on the written word, which for his time was centered in poetry, the primary text for study or learning to write was Homer’s epic The Iliad and The Odyssey. Even in the 4th century, with the Christian adoption of the classical education, St. Basil advises young men how to read the pagan literature from the standpoint of their faith in Christ. It was an opportunity to distinguish and evaluate the morality of the characters actions as well as understand the culture that wrote the stories. The literature gives life to the historical study and the teacher who understands the period in which the work was written can communicate the significance of that work in the history of civilization.
It is intended to introduce the students to great works of literature as well as historical fiction that allows deeper penetration into the events of the period of historical study.
7-8 Logic: At 7th and 8th grade, the students are mentally mature to make connections and inquire into the meaning of events, evaluate their truth and falsity. Cicero says of the orator: “He should know first the force, nature and classes of words, both singly and in the sentence; then the different modes of predication; the method of distinguishing truth from falsity; the proper deduction to be drawn from each, i.e. what is consequent and what is contrary; and since many ambiguous statements are made, he should know how these can be solved and explained.” (The Orator) This discipline will help them to understand the significance of the words we use, how we use them. It is a discipline in thinking, understanding, evaluating, and clearly communicating what they intend to express. It is a discipline well-suited to alternate with a course in written communication. It is a discipline very critical in articulating and defending the truths of our Catholic faith and one encouraged by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict repeatedly in their writings. We are using Memoria Press, Introduction to Formal Logic (Books I and II) for this course as well as exercises from Peter Kreeft’s, Socratic Logic.
Fine Arts:
The appreciation of the beautiful is a distinctly human gift. Beauty can transform humans at the very core of their beings. St. Pius X Classical Academy pupils not only learn the theory that underlies beautiful works, but they themselves produce beautiful works. Pre-K -4 Music and Art:
3-4 Classical Arts: The 3-4th Classical Arts Curriculum is designed around the diocesan curriculum focusing on art, music, and theatre. Students use the Christian Heritage Art Program, learn to read music, play the recorder, and perform one or two songs on this by the end of the year. The students attend field trips to the Frist Center, Schermerhorn Symphony Center , St. Cecilia Motherhouse, and to one of the local high schools to see a musical each year. The students also are actively involved in our annual Christmas play.
5-8 Classical Arts: The 5-8th Classical Arts Curriculum is built around the art, music, theater of the periods studied in those years. Students are familiarized with the history and principles of the visual arts as well as producing art projects using the Christian Heritage Art program. Students have opportunities to exercise skills in music and theater through school programs and productions including: Veteran’s Day (poetry, service songs, narratives), the annual Christmas Play, the Passion Play, and poetry recitations/skits as part of the Classical Arts presentation for Catholic Schools Week. Additionally, they have opportunities to become familiar with music of the periods of study as well as serious study of the hymns used for the daily Mass.
