2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide          

Grades 1-7: Christ Our Life  The Christ Our Life curriculum is spiral-based, meaning that every year a�er the first  grade, the curriculum will build upon the foundation of the previous year. This way,  

there is no topic le� uncovered or deemed less important than the next.          

 ● 1st Grade  

○ The first-grade program of the Christ Our  Life series, God Is Good, is designed to provide a  simple overview of the mysteries of our faith. Through  learning of the goodness of God, and the love of Jesus,  the children respond to God in friendship and prayer.   

○ The children should:  ■ become aware of God’s presence and  

goodness in their lives, in others, in the world, and in  his Church  

■ respond to God’s goodness by loving  him and others  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)   

1. Sign of the Cross    2. The Lord’s Prayer    3. Hail Mary    4. Glory Be    5. Grace before Meals    

                 

 

2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide    

 ● 2nd Grade  

○ The second-grade program of the Christ Our  Life series, God Cares for Us, is designed to prepare the  children for their first celebration of the sacraments of  Reconciliation and the Eucharist.  

○ The children should:  ■ come to realize God’s loving care for  

them, especially through the sacraments of Reconciliation  and the Eucharist  

■ respond to God’s call to give themselves  in loving service to him and to others  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  ■ All in previous grade, plus    

6. Angel of God Prayer    7. Mass responses   8. Act of Contrition    9. Two Main Parts of the Mass    10. Two Main Parts of the Bible    11. Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist   

       

● 3rd Grade  ○ The third-grade program of the Christ Our  

Life series, We Believe, presents the main truths  Catholics believe and express in the Apostles’ Creed.  

○ The children should:  ■ grow in the power to make decisions in  

the light of God’s Revelation and the redemptive acts of  Jesus  

■ come to a knowledge and an  appreciation of the mysteries of their faith expressed in  the Apostles’ Creed  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  ■ All in previous grades, plus    

12. Trinity   13. Apostles’ Creed    14. Great Commandment    15. Ten Commandments    16. Locate Bible passages by book, chapter, and verse    17. Introduce the Liturgical Year  

 

2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide    

 ● 4th Grade  

○ The fourth-grade program of the Christ Our  Life series, God Guides Us, focuses on the Ten  Commandments and the Beatitudes as guides for living.  

○ The children should:  ■ grow in understanding and appreciation  

of God’s call to eternal life and his ever-present and  loving guidance  

■ choose to live the Commandments in  the spirit of the Beatitudes  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  

■ All in previous grades, plus    18. Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy    19. Fruits of the Spirit    20. Hail Holy Queen    21. How to Pray the Rosary  

     

     

● 5th Grade  ○ The fi�h-grade program of the Christ Our  

Life series, We Worship, focuses on the sacraments,  especially the Eucharist, the center of Christian life.   

○ The children should:  ■ grow in their appreciation of the  

Church as a worshiping community, and of Christ’s  action among us in the eucharistic liturgy and in the  sacraments  

■ give worship to God by prayer, loving  service, and celebrating the liturgical seasons  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  ■ All in previous grades, plus    

22. Sacraments    23. Gi�s of the Holy Spirit    24. Order of the Mass    25. Prayer to the Holy Spirit    26. Eucharistic Adoration  

   

2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide    

● 6th Grade  ○ The sixth-grade program of the Christ  

Our Life series is devoted to the study of God’s  saving love as it is revealed in Sacred Scripture,  particularly the Old Testament. God Calls a People  is designed to help the students increase their  knowledge of salvation history so that they may  respond to God with ever-deepening love and  gratitude.  

○ The students should:  ■ come to a deeper appreciation of  

the person of Christ and of his presence in his  Church through the study of salvation history  

■ grow in their relationship with  God and in giving witness of their faith  

 ○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  

■ All in previous grades, plus    27. Holy Days of Obligation    28. Beatitudes    29. Nicene Creed   30. Old Testament Books   

   ● 7th Grade  

○ The seventh-grade program of the Christ Our  Life series is devoted to the study of God’s saving love as  it is revealed through his Son, Jesus. Jesus the Way, the  Truth, and the Life is designed to help young adolescents  grow in their knowledge of Jesus, that they may love him  more ardently and serve him more generously.  

○ The students should:  ■ grow in knowledge and love of Jesus  

through prayer and studying the Gospels  ■ appreciate that the sacraments enable  

them to respond to the call to follow Jesus, live by his  teachings, and proclaim God’s kingdom in word,  worship, witness, and service  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  ■ All in previous grades, plus    

31. Stations of the Cross    32. New Commandment    33. New Testament Books    34. Mysteries of the Rosary   

2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide    

 8th Grade - You. Life, Love, and the Theology of the  

Body    

● Theology of the Body/Study of Human Creation  and Chastity  

○ In an age of “selfies” and egocentrism, YOU  cuts through the noise to present an authentic view of  the human person. It presents young people with the  extraordinary story of their creation as unrepeatable  individuals. But the program doesn’t stop there. It also  introduces teens to the truth that life is not, in fact, all  about them; it is about going out of themselves to be a  sincere gi� for others.  

○ Level of Mastery by end of year (listed at the end of this guide)  ■ All in previous grades, plus    

35. Theological and Cardinal Virtues    36. Precepts of the Church    37. Days of Fasting and Abstinence    38. Sacraments (their scriptural foundations)   39. Ecumenism   40. Interreligious Dialogue  

         

   

9th Grade - YouCat - Confirmation Preparatory Class    

● YOUCAT is the Catechism of the Catholic Church for  adolescents and young people.   

○ The most important elements of the faith are  summarized briefly and comprehensively in a  question-and-answer format.   

○ Level of Mastery is completed in Grade 8. Students  preparing for confirmation should be able to master the entire list.  

   

       

2021-2022 Grade Level Curriculum Guide      

10th/11th Grades - Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit -  Confirmation Class  

 ● Questions answered and discussed are: Who is the  

Holy Spirit? What is his role in our salvation? How do we  cooperate with him to experience the fullness of his  presence? How do we receive his fruits and exercise his  gi�s?  

● These are a few of the questions explored in this  nine-week Bible study, which is designed to help  Catholics grow in their appreciation of the Holy Spirit and  his power to transform their lives in Christ. The many  relevant Scripture passages, combined with wisdom from  the saints, the Catechism, and church tradition, make this  a truly inspired Bible study .

● Students are expected to read the handouts and  bible passages that go along with them and be ready  to discuss and ask questions about what they are  reading.  

● Level of Mastery is completed in Grade 8. Students ready for  Confirmation should have mastered the entire list in detail.