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23300 Bellaire Blvd. Richmond, TX 77406

P 281-‐341-‐9910 | F 281-‐341-‐9915

CURRICULUM HANDBOOK 2017-‐2018

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Westlake Academy is dedicated to providing academic excellence and spiritual growth that equips our students to become courageous leaders as they serve Jesus Christ in our changing world.

Parents, The foundation of our philosophy at Westlake Academy is to assist students in preparing for the future by providing a vigorous academic curriculum within the framework of a strong spiritual community. Daily prayer, Bible study classes and contact with Christian teachers give students the opportunity to grow closer to Jesus while preparing for their post-‐graduation endeavors. The primary focus at Westlake Academy is to prepare our students to excel academically at the college or university level. To accomplish this, Westlake has aligned its curriculum to systematically move our students toward this goal, one step at a time. This helps us accomplish our vision of impacting students for today, tomorrow, and eternity. The planning guide on the following pages outlines our curriculum from pre-‐kindergarten through sixth grade and describes the scope and sequence of our educational programs. We hope that it provides you with the information needed to evaluate the quality of education that students receive at Westlake Academy. The academic progress and success of each of our students is important to us. Our administration and faculty are fully committed to help students succeed in this endeavor. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Securing their future together, Judith L. Gerber Head of School


Administration and Faculty

Judith L. Gerber, Head of School

Mary Jo Forner, Assistant to Head of School Venessa Homewood, Director of Admissions and Marketing Sue Green, School Nurse and Lower School Front Office

Amy Milne, PreK3 Teacher Maria Oquendo, PreK3 Aid

Allison Berger, PreK3 Teacher Gabby Ceddillo, PreK3 Aid

Leigh Ann Dawson, PreK4 Teacher Brooke Randolph, PreK4 Aid

Jessica Mouton, PreK4 Teacher Alva Loree, PreK4 Aid

Rebeca Gibson, Kindergarten Teacher and Team Lead Ashley Wooldridge, Kindergarten Teacher

Gaby Escalon, Kindergarten Aid Beth Adkins, First Grade Teacher Kellye Johnson, First Grade Aid

Beka House, Second Grade Teacher and Team Lead Lauren Eickemeyer, Third Grade and Athletic Director

Adriana Granhold, Fourth Grade Teacher and Team Lead Stephanie Dyott, Fifth Grade Teacher and Middle School Drama Teacher

Andrew Struckmeyer, Middle School Religion and History Teacher and 4th Grade History Alicia Maroney, Middle School English Language Arts and Team Lead

Lianne Jones, Middle School Math Teacher Darren Chai, Middle School Science, Technology and Theology Teacher

Amanda Miller, Lower School Spanish Teacher Courtney Johnson, Middle School Spanish Teacher

Tera McAdoo, Physical Education Nicholas Jones, Middle School Art and Lower School Art and Music Teacher

Dottie Burroughs, Band Director Ron Marsh, Maintenance


Lutheran Education Association – Board of Directors

Greg Pinick, Executive Director, Epiphany Lutheran – Pearland

Mr. Kurt Rosenhagen, Chairman Gloria Dei Lutheran Mr. Michael Hergenrader, Vice Chairman, Memorial Lutheran

Dr. Thomas Leimkuehler, Secretary/Treasurer, Gloria Dei Lutheran Rev. Jeff Muchow, Epiphany Lutheran – Jersey Village

Mrs. Anne Kieschnik, Gethsemane Lutheran Mr. Albert Hoppe, Chapelwood United Methodist Mrs. Jeanette Holt, Epiphany Lutheran – Pearland

Elizabeth Killinger. Epiphany Lutheran – Jersey Village

Westlake Parent Teacher League (PTL) Board

Andi Holt, President Mandi Leary, Vice President Jessica Morgan, Treasurer Catherine Larson, Secretary Lindsey Ring, Gala Co-‐Chair

Rosemary McDonald, Volunteer Coordinator


Lower School Grade Level Descriptions Pre-‐Kindergarten (3 year olds) Pre-‐K3 students explore the world with their senses and at their pace through a wide variety of hands-‐on activities and experimentation. The Curriculum for PreK3 is set up with both monthly and weekly themes, and lessons with specific objectives. Skills for physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, and spiritual development are interwoven within the academic areas. The themes and lessons for Pre-‐K3 for each subject area include: Religion – Our Religion curriculum (Jesus Time) teaches children that God created the world, and that Jesus loves them and is their Friend. The Bible stories are presented in chronological order so the children will know Jesus as God’s Son and the Savior Who takes away sin and is always present in their lives. Concepts from the Bible stories apply to the preschooler’s life in today’s world. Faith building includes hearing Bible Stories, prayers throughout the day and weekly chapel. Our social skills are based upon how God wishes us to act with one another. Language Arts – recognizing and writing their name, nursery rhymes, letter of the week, age appropriate books and stories, language development, and rhyming words. Early Math Skills – learning colors, shapes, sorting, one-‐to-‐one correspondence, numbers, patterns, and sets of objects. Fine Motor Development – developing and strengthening the tripod hold through use of a wide variety of hands-‐on activities and materials, tracing, puzzles – each important in preparation of pre-‐writing and cutting skills. Social Studies – students talk about our family, our neighborhood, and community helpers.


Science – observing the four seasons, animals, habitats, water, magnets, our bodies and the five senses. Music/Rhythm Activities – using rhythm instruments, ribbons and CD’s, copying rhythm patterns. Technology – Students also use prepared software and games to learn, as well as reinforce the skills being taught in lessons. Art – Students experience Art though planned activities related to the monthly or weekly themes. Various media are incorporated into both the guided activities and free exploration in centers.


Pre-‐Kindergarten (4 year olds) Pre-‐K4 has an emphasis on skills preparing a child for Kindergarten. Activities and academics are integrated throughout the classroom with a hands-‐on, developmentally age appropriate technique. Circle time includes calendar, days of the week, month of the year, and story time. The curriculum for this group revolves around monthly themed units with specific objectives for Math, Social Studies, Science, Religion, and Language Arts including color, shape, letter, number, positional words, and writing strokes. Skills for physical, emotional, social, aesthetic, and spiritual development are interwoven within the academic areas. Language Arts – emphasizes recognition and writing of their name, letters of the alphabet (uppercase and lowercase) and their sounds, and recognition of numbers. Students will participate in recalling and retelling event sequences and book awareness. Rhyming words are also integrated into their activities. Early Math Skills – Through individual work in centers, as well as large and small group times, Math skills include sorting, patterning, sequencing, 1-‐to-‐1 correspondence, comparisons, and graphing. Learning centers provide opportunities for hands-‐on reinforcement of concepts and skills that have been introduced in a group setting. These centers are deliberately planned and organized to give support to the themes, skills, and concepts. Science and Social Studies – development includes community, cultures, friends and family, gardening, life cycle, senses, weather, experiments, cause and effect, and observations. It may also include art exploration with different textures and mediums and test their ability to follow 2-‐3 step directions and produce a recognizable creation. Religion – Within monthly themes the Religion curriculum teaches children that Jesus loves them and is their Friend. The Bible stories are presented in chronological order so the children know Jesus as the Savior who takes away sin and is always present in their lives. The concepts from the Bible stories apply to


the young child’s life in today’s world. Faith building includes Bible stories, prayer throughout the day, and weekly chapel. Self-‐help behaviors such as manners, self-‐expression, interacting respectfully and cooperatively, and self-‐confidence are encouraged in developing interpersonal skills. Pre-‐K4 classes participate in specialty classes including Art, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish. They are also exposed to the school library program. Students experience Art through planned activities related to the monthly themes. Various media are incorporated into both the guided activities and the free exploration centers.


Kindergarten

Language Arts – The comprehensive language arts program includes phonics, reading and writing strategies, sight word recognition, handwriting development, and quality literature. Children write in personal journals and participate in whole group writing workshops. Guided reading instruction and take home readers enable students to develop their reading skills. Kindergarten students engage in activities to develop their use of oral language. Activities focus on extending vocabulary skills of familiar words while learning words that are conceptually challenging.

Mathematics –Math instruction and hands on activities teach the children to understand number recognition and values, patterns, shapes, counting, classifying, comparisons, weights and measurements, our monetary system, graphing, and beginning addition/subtraction. Students also learn problem-‐solving strategies that include: draw a diagram, act it out, make a table, and write a number sentence.

Religion – The kindergarten religion curriculum is designed to assist students in learning the key concept of faith that reflects a child’s growing perception of his or her relationship with Jesus Christ. Students study the Old and New Testament Bible stories. Students worship during weekly Chapel services and participate in classroom devotions. Kindergarten students also memorize a verse of Scripture weekly.

Science – Science in kindergarten introduces the use of simple classroom and field investigations to assist students in asking questions, gathering information, communicating their findings, and making informed decisions. Students focus on components of the natural world created by God. Students develop a sense of seasons and change in the natural world. Students investigate organisms and their parts, and learn how to group living and non-‐living organisms based on their features. Additional science topics include earth’s resources, matter, energy, and motion.

Social Studies – The focus of social studies in kindergarten is on self, home, family and the classroom. Students are exposed to our state and national heritage,


including patriotic holidays and the contributions of historic figures. Lessons provide opportunities for students to develop map and globe skills as well as critical thinking skills. Authority of home and school, along with customs, symbols, and celebrations are also a focus of social studies in kindergarten. Through a variety of oral and visual sources, students begin to understand their roles as members of society.

Art – Students rely on their perceptions of the environment, memory, imagination, and life experiences as sources for creating artwork. Art projects are integrated with religion, language arts, social studies, and science.

Technology – Students use prepared software and websites in conjunction with language arts, math, social studies, and science. Kindergarten students receive instruction in the use of both iPads and computers.


First Grade

First grade is a year of transitions. Although still under the developmental umbrella of “early childhood,” the expectations of first graders are changing from teacher directed and monitored learning, to student directed and self-‐monitored learning. This means that students are expected to be more responsible for their learning through independent center activities and other projects. Students are given organizational tools and skills to keep track of individual projects and activities, as well as learn to read and follow directions independently. Students also have more input into the kinds of books to read and projects that meet their individual needs and interests. In all content areas, the curriculum is best described as “foundational.”

Reading Instruction and Language Arts – A balanced curriculum is in place for reading instruction. This means reading and writing, phonics and sight words recognition, and comprehension and decoding skills are taught. Students review and solidify phonetic “rules” and learn multiple strategies to decode multi-‐syllable words. Comprehension skills (such as identifying the main idea, distinguishing main idea from details, sequencing skills, identifying cause and effect, and using characterization to understand the text skills) are taught and used to understand both narrative and expository texts. Students are also introduced to a variety of texts learning to use the genre of the text to help understand and comprehend the text. Reading material available to students and used in reading instruction comes from a variety of sources including reading anthology textbooks, leveled readers, trade books, and leveled chapter books. Throughout the content areas, reading skills and strategies are used to help students learn to read and understand content area textbooks. Guided reading groups allow reading instruction to be tailored to individual learning and interest needs. Language Arts studies include weekly spelling lessons which identify and teach students to use patterns in words to learn to spell. Grammar lessons which help students learn to identify and label parts of speech, to change words by using suffixes and prefixes, and to write complete and correct sentences. Also, Handwriting lessons which teach the Zaner-‐Bloser method of handwriting.


Mathematics – In addition to laying a solid reading foundation, the understanding of math concepts is central to instruction in first grade. Before students begin manipulating numbers it is important that they have an understanding of how numbers “work.” In first grade, much time is devoted to understanding the properties of numbers and their functions. Students learn to break numbers apart into “part-‐part-‐wholes.” They learn to take apart and then put numbers back together. They learn and practice using patterns to understand addition, subtraction, and algebraic concepts. The concepts of place value and number expansions are begun in first grade. Learning the basic addition and subtraction facts to 12 for accuracy and speed are drilled, reviewed, and mastered. Students learn to use tools (such as “part-‐part-‐whole” chart, number lines, and hundreds chart) and strategies to solve word and multi-‐step problems. Students also learn and practice counting money (coins and bills); concepts of measurement for length, volume, height, and mass; geometric properties for 2-‐D and 3-‐D shapes and solids; telling time to the hour and half hour; and simple fractions including halves, thirds, and fourths.

Religion –The religion curriculum for first grade is designed to both teach students foundational concepts of faith as well as assist them in applying these concepts to everyday life. Concepts that are targeted include Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness, and grace. Students learn selected “stories” from the Old and New Testament as well as historical “stories” of Martin Luther and other important men and women used by God to spread the goods news of salvation. Students learn and recite Bible passages and participate in weekly Chapel services.

Science – The science curriculum is broken into three segments: life science, earth science, and physical science. Foundational learning in these three branches of science includes vocabulary development, understanding of basic principles, and a sense of “scientific” behavior and process. Topics studied include basic knowledge technology, animal and plant classifications, symbiotic relationships of plants and animals, weather, landforms, conservation, natural resources, seasons, objects in the sky, energy, and matter. Lessons and projects include online research and hands-‐on experiments.


Social Studies – The general ideas of the social studies first grade curriculum can be summed up best by four words – people, places, past, and present. Students begin their study of their community, state, and country through elements of history, geography, economics, sociology, and government strands incorporated into the lessons. Students identify historic and ordinary people who are examples of good citizens and study their importance in society. Students also learn the personal and cultural value of ideas such as freedom, courage, leadership, respect, honesty, responsibility, justice, and loyalty.

Art – Students continue to develop their art skills by communicating through various art media and techniques, their impressions of the environment, imagination, and life experiences. Perception, creative expression and performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation are the strands that provide the structure for learning in first grade. Art lessons include crafts, art history lessons, and experimentation with different art media.

Technology – Students review the major parts of a computer and iPad, the proper care of software and hardware, and identification of letters and numbers on the keyboard and keypad. Students will use appropriate terms as they speak and use computers and iPads. Students learn to operate laptops and iPads and use them at least once a week to enhance or reinforce learning in various subjects.


Second Grade

Language Arts – Second grade students move from learning to read to reading to learn. They continue to develop their language and communication skills toward becoming independent readers and writers by reading and responding to a wide variety of literature selections including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, historical fiction, folklore, and readers’ theater. During whole group, small group, independent instruction, and literacy centers, students learn and practice reading strategies to build comprehension; including making inferences, drawing conclusions, comparing and contrasting, and finding main ideas.

Students develop written communication skills through participating in Work-‐on-‐Writing (a component of our Daily 5 literacy centers), incorporating personal narratives, fiction, writing instructions, letter writing, and beginning research. Students also receive direct instruction in sentence structure, parts of speech, grammar, spelling patterns, and coding sounds that make up words.

Mathematics – Students continue to develop a strong foundation in number and problem-‐solving skills and concepts through direct instruction, technology, use of manipulatives, and independent practice. Students learn place value, adding and subtracting numbers up to three digits, geometry, fractions, time, area, and multiplication/division readiness.

Religion – Religion instruction focuses on faith development. Students study Old Testament Bible stories illustrating God’s promises and faithfulness and New Testament Bible stories demonstrating His great love for us in Jesus Christ. Students memorize Bible verses, retell stories, and learn to share their growing faith. Students worship during weekly Chapel services.

Science – Second graders continue to investigate Life, Earth, and Physical sciences through the science text, technology, and directed/independent inquiry. Students increase knowledge of plant and insect life cycles, formation of rocks and fossils, movements of earth, moon and sun, interactions of force, matter, sound and light. Students learn how to work like a scientist by building knowledge of inquiry skills and problem solving skills.


Social Studies – Second grade students continue to develop an understanding of self, classroom, and community and their relationship to society. Students explore citizenship, geography (including map skills and landforms), local, state, and national government, American history and economics.

Art – Students will continue to develop skills about creative expression. Students identify art elements such as color, texture, line, form, and space. Students will express their ideas and feelings through artwork using a variety of colors and materials.

Technology – Students are informed about the internet and safety rules for being online. Under the guidance of the teacher, students use the internet to enhance and extend other subject areas. Students will be using iPads to supplement curriculum and to complete enrichment activities.


Third Grade

Language Arts – Third grade students read and write more independently than in previous grade levels. Students spend time engaged in their own reading and writing as well as in assigned tasks and projects. Students learn root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Students distinguish fact from opinion, as well as to learn to support their inferences by citing portions of text. Students read from a variety of genres including realistic and informative fiction, historical fiction, biography, nonfiction, and poetry. Classroom discussion enables students to develop oral skills.

Students write with more proficient spelling as they are instructed in spelling techniques through phonics instruction. Continued development of skills in syntax and grammar including word usage, capitalization and punctuation is emphasized as students write in longer sentences and organize their writing into longer passages. Students master cursive writing and use it in the production of writing samples and drafts which have been edited and finalized according to grammatical rules.

Mathematics – Students use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division as generalizations connected to concrete experiences. Students are introduced to fractions and decimals. Students use visual mathematics, such as graphs and charts, to develop mathematical understanding. Students learn the correct formal language used to communicate shapes and solids, make predictions, estimate and compare, and solve application problems. Students are equipped with skills necessary to evaluate data and make predictions and decisions to solve mathematical problems.

Religion – The religion curriculum is designed to help students learn the concepts of faith. Topics of instruction include Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, while emphasizing the actions of God on behalf of His people. Lessons reflect the need for the Law, which shows us our sins, and the Gospel, which leads us to God’s grace. Students are encouraged to live in Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Students worship during weekly Chapel services and participate in regular service projects.


Science – Students learn use of the scientific method in a variety of content areas. Students explore systems, physics, forces that cause change, matter, ecosystems, and natural resources, layers of the earth, air and astronomy. Students use tools, technology, and visual resources to accomplish the objectives of this curriculum.

Social Studies – Students build a foundation in history, geography, economics, government, citizenship, culture, society, and social studies skills through a variety of rich resources. Students expand their knowledge through the identification and study of people who make a difference.

Art – The goal of the art program is to teach students to express themselves through art. Throughout the year students develop an understanding of art elements (line, color, space, balance, etc.), the development of drawing skills, and painting techniques. Students also learn and become familiar with some important artists from history.

Technology – Students are familiar enough with a computer and tablet to log into their own account and use software that retains their profile. Third grade is the strategic time for keyboarding skills, which students will practice through different means. Students will also learn about online etiquette.


Fourth Grade

Language Arts – Significant blocks of time are devoted to independent reading. Students continue to read selections from classic and contemporary literature, and adapt their reading approach to a variety of texts. Students read for meaning and develop the ability to paraphrase their reading. Students continue to develop a variety of vocabulary words and concepts. Students produce summaries of their reading focused on plot, character analysis, setting, and cause and effect. Students begin to analyze spoken language for meaning by evaluating content and the speaker’s intent. Written language is developed through direct instruction in parts of speech, vocabulary, and spelling. Students use their skills in all stages of the writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing—to produce clear, coherent writing suited to the purpose and audience.

Mathematics – In fourth grade, students learn to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. They will reason abstractly and quantitatively. Students will construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Mathematics will use operational strategies involving numbers and apply the concepts to analyze graphs, charts and data to develop comparisons, predictions, and estimation of data involving numbers. Students continue their development in the use of numbers to measure and explore objects along with solving mathematical application problems.

Religion – Religion is designed to assist students in learning key concepts of faith, such as Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, while focusing specifically on the actions of God on behalf of His people. Students study the Biblical patriarchs as well as the life of Christ. Students worship during weekly Chapel services and participate in regular service projects.

Science – During fourth grade, students learn to formulate and justify predictions based on cause-‐and-‐effect relationships, differentiate observation from inference, and conduct multiple trials to test their predictions. Students develop their own questions, conduct scientific investigations, and communicate their findings in writing. In physical science, students in grade four enhance their understandings


of electricity and magnetism. In their study of life sciences, students extend their knowledge of ecology. In earth science, fourth-‐graders learn how the sun, earth, and moon interact. We learn about different types of weather.

Social Studies – Fourth grade examines the history of Texas from its beginnings to the present. Topics include the Texas Revolution, establishment of the Republic of Texas and subsequent annexation by the United States. The curriculum emphasizes an understanding of the people involved in these events, as well as the numerous populations, which are a part of Texas history. Economics, geography, and culture are also topics of study in the exploration of Texas history and Texas today. Students use critical-‐thinking skills, including generalizations, predictions and comparison/contrast to better understand the development of the Republic and State of Texas.

Art – Four basic strands – perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation – provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students acquire.

Technology – Students will improve their typing proficiency in both speed and accuracy. They will also learn how to manage files by typing, saving, and retrieving their documents. Students will use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity through online lessons and lab experiments. Students will use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively such as making presentations using a whiteboard application. During reports, students will use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. The students will learn also new basic programming skills.


Fifth Grade

Language Arts – Students refine and master skills for language development. Focus is on main idea, summarizing, generalizing, differencing, sequencing, cause and effect, fact and opinion, and drawing conclusions. Students continue to read contemporary and classic literature in several genres. Students are able to organize information and analyze in greater depth the use of characterization, plot, conflict, and setting.

Student writing builds on previously learned concepts as students link ideas and produce final error-‐free pieces. Specific grammar units in usage and mechanics are taught, supplemented with daily oral language activities. Students incorporate research in cross-‐curricular areas as they learn to select multiple pieces of text to complete research-‐based writing assignments. Vocabulary development is another focus of language development.

Mathematics – Students continue to build their knowledge of number theory, number operations, quantities, and spatial reasoning skills using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. These operational skills are combined with instruction in analyzing charts, graphs, shapes, and space, along with problem-‐solving applications.

Religion – Religion is designed to acquaint students with the concepts of faith. Topics include Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, while emphasizing the actions of God on behalf of His people. Lessons in grade five reflect the need for the Law, which shows us our sins, and for the Gospel, which leads us to see God’s grace. These lessons encourage students to lead a daily life in Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Students also study both the Old and New Testaments and look at the role of Martin Luther in the formation of the Lutheran Church.

Science – Science includes the planning and implementing of field and laboratory investigations as students integrate the scientific method into their study. Students study life, physical, and earth sciences. Areas of emphasis include cells, life structures, ecosystems, atmosphere and weather; water on Earth, Earth’s changing surface, the solar system, and properties and structure of


matter. Students use the computer for science research activities and will complete a science fair project in the spring for the school-‐wide science fair.

Social Studies – Students learn the history of the United States from exploration through the 20th Century. Topics include early exploration, the colonial and revolutionary periods, the establishment of the United States, issues that led to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and an overview of major events during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Students also study the roots of democratic governance in our nation and its important ideals. Study of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are part of this process. Customs, celebrations, and contributions of various racial and ethnic groups, inventors and scientists are identified and discussed.

Art – Fifth grade students continue to study art through the four basic strands of perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage and critical evaluation. Students use art to respond to and demonstrate their understanding of concepts across the curriculum.

Technology – Students use computers in a variety of ways. They use word processing skills to do their work in science, history, and language arts class on a regular basis and other classes sporadically. Work is saved on a thumb drive, so it can be taken home for completion. Research with the internet and word processing documents, labs with tables, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint are new additions to the repertoire at this point. PowerPoint presentations are among students’ favorite learning and expressive activities.


Sixth Grade

Language Arts – Language Arts combines grammar, vocabulary, writing, and literature. It provides a framework and foundation as students move to the next level of development. Students refine grammar skills by expanding the use of basic parts of speech. Vocabulary increases through word relationships and the application of meanings. A greater understanding of literary devices is developed by reading and discussing classic and contemporary literature. Writing skills are improved by editing writing assignments based on their knowledge of grammar and usage, spelling, punctuation, and other conventions of written language. Technology is incorporated into teacher assigned writing assignments throughout the year.

Mathematics – Sixth grade math topics include whole and decimal numbers (place value, properties and computation), measurement, number theory and fractions, ratios, proportions, geometry, integers and algebraic thinking. Utilizing previously learned concepts, students make mathematical connections that apply to their lives. To strengthen logic and reasoning skills, problem-‐solving skills are utilized throughout the course.

Religion – Religion is designed to acquaint students with the concepts of faith. Students will use the stories and people found in the Bible to learn about becoming the people God has called us to be. Students will learn about the struggles and accomplishments of many Biblical figures. These lessons encourage students to lead a daily life in Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Science – Life Science reinforces and expands specific skills and methods through problem solving, inquiry, critical thinking, hands-‐on learning, global connections and the development of scientific literacy. Topics of study include cells, heredity, human body, ecology, and the reproduction and growth of all living things. Topics will be enhanced by labs, simulations, product production, and creative problem solving. All labs will be designed to use an inquiry approach incorporating science process skills and the scientific method. Students complete a science fair project in the spring for the school-‐wide science fair.


Social Studies – Sixth grade social studies is a study of world geography and how diverse cultures have shaped the way people live. Students (1) use maps, globes, charts and models to identify the characteristics and relative locations of major historical and contemporary societies; (2) analyze geographic factors influencing the economic development, political relationships and policies of societies; and (3) expand their understanding of the relationship that exists among world cultures using various methods of research.

Art – Sixth grade students continue to study art through the four basic strands of perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation. Students use art to respond to and demonstrate their understanding of concepts across the curriculum.

Technology – Beginning in sixth grade, students are issued a laptop by the school for use in the classroom and at home during the academic year. Students have an email account under the school’s organizational Office 365 account and access to all software associated with Office 365. Students use the computers on a daily basis in this 1:1 environment. A few specific, regular uses of the computers include taking class notes using Microsoft OneNote, online research, word processing, spreadsheet software use, and presentation creation.


Seventh Grade

Language Arts – Language Arts combines grammar, vocabulary, writing, and literature. It adds to the framework and foundation established in previous grades. Students refine grammar skills by expanding and deepening the use of basic parts of speech. Vocabulary increases through word relationships, affixes, and the application of meanings. A deeper understanding of literature is developed by reading and discussing classic and contemporary literature. Students are immersed in literature of all genres and will gain better understanding of the structure and prospective of various works. Writing skills are improved by using the knowledge of structure and prospective and applying those concepts to create original pieces of writing. Students will use the writing process during these writing assignments. Technology is incorporated into teacher assigned writing assignments throughout the year.

Mathematics – Seventh grade math is a Pre-‐Algebra program. Topics covered include algebraic tools, number sets, expressions, equations, ratios, rates, geometric application of algebraic concepts, Pythagorean theorem, percents, functions, graphing of functions, statistics and probability. Utilizing previously learned concepts, students make mathematical connections that apply to their lives. To strengthen logic and reasoning skills, problem-‐solving skills are utilized throughout the course. Religion – Religion is designed to acquaint students with the concepts of faith. Topics include Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, while emphasizing the actions of God on behalf of His people. Lessons in grade seven reflect the need for the Law, which shows us our sins, and for the Gospel, which leads us to see God’s grace. Students also study both the Old and New Testaments and look at the role of Martin Luther in the formation of the Lutheran Church. Emphasis is placed on having and nurturing a personal relationship with God that will last a lifetime. Science – Earth Science reinforces and expands specific skills and methods through problem solving, inquiry, critical thinking, hands-‐on learning, global connections and the development of scientific literacy. Topics covered include


Earth’s spheres, weathering, erosion, geologic change, minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, Earth’s water, oceans, atmosphere, weather, and space science. Topics will be enhanced by labs, simulations, product production, and creative problem solving. All labs will be designed to use an inquiry approach incorporating science process skills and the scientific method. Students complete a science fair project in the spring for the school-‐wide science fair. History – Seventh grade focuses in depth on the details of the history of Texas. Students will learn about the Spanish settlers, conquistadors, and explorers that discovered and settled Texas. They will learn about the various countries that controlled Texas, and what led to the loss of their control. Students will learn about the founders of Texas and of key people who played a role in Texas Independence. We will then study events in Texas from the Civil War to Texas’ role in WWI and WWII. We will use the many resources available to us, as we are so close to the “Birthplace of Texas”, to help us better understand the history of this state. Art – Seventh grade students continue to study art through the four basic strands of perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage and critical evaluation. Students use art to respond to and demonstrate their understanding of concepts across the curriculum. Technology – Students are issued a laptop by the school for use in the classroom and at home during the academic year. Students have an email account under the school’s organizational Office 365 account and access to all software associated with Office 365. Students use the computers on a daily basis in this 1:1 environment. A few specific, regular uses of the computers include taking class notes using Microsoft OneNote, online research, word processing, spreadsheet software use, and presentation creation.


Eighth Grade

Language Arts – Language Arts combines grammar, vocabulary, writing, and literature. It adds to the framework and foundation established in previous grades. Students refine grammar skills by expanding and deepening the use of basic parts of speech. Vocabulary increases through word relationships, affixes, and the application of meanings. A deeper understanding of literature is developed by reading narratives and discussing thematic ideas. Students are immersed in literature of all genres and will gain better understanding of the structure and prospective of various works. Writing skills are improved by using the knowledge of structure and prospective and applying those concepts to create a personal narrative. Students will use the writing process to complete a research paper. Technology is incorporated into teacher assigned writing assignments throughout the year.

Mathematics – Eighth graders learn the content of a secondary Algebra 1 course. This course emphasizes the basic algebraic processes of simplifying algebraic expressions, solving linear and quadratic equations and inequalities, factoring polynomials, graphing linear and quadratic functions and understanding their behavior through data analysis, solving systems of equations in two variables, and converting verbal descriptions to algebraic formulas and/or equations to reach a solution. Students will make mathematical connections that apply to their lives. They will also strengthen their logic and reasoning skills, and problem-‐solving skills throughout the course. Religion – Religion is designed to acquaint students with the concepts of faith. Topics include Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, while emphasizing the actions of God on behalf of His people. Lessons in grade eight reflect the need for the Law, which shows us our sins, and for the Gospel, which leads us to see God’s grace. Students also study both the Old and New Testament while understanding the redeeming love and grace of Jesus Christ. Emphasis is placed on having and nurturing a personal relationship with God that will last a lifetime.


Science – Students will study the nature of Science. They will begin to evaluate the strengths and limitations in terms of scope, topic and explanations. Chemistry will be introduced as they will begin to understand atomic theory. The periodic table of elements will also be introduced and they will work on chemical equations. Forces in Motion will also be studied at this level and the students will be challenged to see how unbalanced forces cause changes in the motion of objects. Also included, the moon effect on the earth’s tides and waves, plate tectonics, weathering and erosion. The utilization of maps and weather patterns will deepen their understanding in the area of physical science. History – Students will focus on United States History. They will begin by focusing on different civilizations and how they formed the ideas of the first Americans. They will move on to Colonial America and how the colonists migrated, faced with many challenges. They will focus on independence and the struggle with Britain. The Articles of Confederation, documents of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence will be used to explain how our government was formed. Key political figures will be studied as historical events led to the civil war and the reform of the United States. Technology – Students are issued an iBook by the school for use in the classroom and at home during the academic year. The students will begin to understand computer literacy and gain a foundational understanding of hardware components, software programs, and their connections. They will also continue to develop their civil responsibility in proper procedures for searching the internet. Their keyboarding skills will continue to be strengthened. iMovie, PowerPoint, spreadsheets and word processing will be used for presentations. Physical Education/Health – In physical education students will practice flexibility, endurance, and strength building exercises through different games and physical activities. In physical education students will also be introduced to a variety of sports skills


through games and activities throughout the year. We will focus on intermediate and advanced understanding of the game and techniques used. Students will be assessed based on their improvement in skill, behavior, and corporation. Varies sport units will be taught to incorporate students in physical activity as well as social development and learning and utilizing strategies to accomplish their goals. In physical education we will learn the rules and demonstrate game play in volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, frisbee games, softball, netball games, football, and field day activities. Student will have to be able to dress appropriately in correct P.E. uniform each day.

Sixth through Eighth Grade Electives Choir/Drama-‐ Students will sing Christian songs at various Wednesday Chapels. They will be introduced to songs from age appropriate Musicals. In the Spring, the choir/drama class will assist in production of the Spring Musical. The goal of Choir/Drama is to empower the student to perform by themselves and with a group. There will be a large emphasis on stage character development and an understanding of the origins of each performance piece. A small amount of music theory will be covered as well. Art-‐ The Art class will provide students with an understanding and appreciation of artistic themes, techniques, styles, media, and the various forms of expression that art can take. The students will recognize different social, cultural, and historical perspectives from around the world, with a focus on inquiry and interpretation. Students will use real artistic techniques and media to discover and nurture the individual talents God has given them, while displaying a Christian attitude of sharing, caring, and showing respect to individuals. Band-‐ Westlake Band provides opportunities to develop God-‐given talents for enjoyment and service in life at home, at school, and at church. Students will develop physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually as they bring music to life with their instruments. Both their mental capacity and physical skills will develop and become automatic as they learn different techniques. Emotional expressions such as joy, perseverance, and accomplishment will become evident as they grow spiritually learning to praise the Lord with their talents. Students will build


proficiency in music reading, scales, music theory, sight-‐reading, and performing for an audience. Students will also play and be exposed to a wide variety of musical styles, composers, and audiences.

Music Curriculum Pre-‐K3 through Kindergarten – Students will sing Christian songs to be sung at Wednesday Chapel. They will also sing songs that are fun and increase their love of music. Students will be introduced to music notation through stories like Freddie the Frog and through direct instruction. A variety of musical instruments will also be introduced. First through Fifth Grades – Students will sing Christian songs to be sung at Wednesday Chapel. They will also sing songs that are fun and increase their love of music. Students will be introduced to music notation through direct instruction and learn to identify the keys on the piano. A variety of musical instruments will also be introduced. Students will participate in making music with boom whackers, rhythm makers, and xylophones. P.E. Curriculum Pre-‐K3 through Kindergarten – In physical education students will practice and learn personal space awareness, flexibility, balance, simple directional phrases, body parts, be able to roll, jump, skip, hop, gallop, and slide, be able to follow instructions, and perform strength building exercises. In physical education students will also be introduced to basic fundamentals of sports skills (catching, throwing, kicking, and hitting) through varies games and activities. Students will be able to use various types of equipment safely (scooters, balls, bats, racquets, balance beams, balloons, bean bags, hula hoops, parachute games, tunnel crawling, etc.). First through Fifth Grades – In physical education students will practice flexibility, endurance, and strength building exercises through different games and station activities. In physical education students will also be introduced to a variety of sports skills through games and activities throughout the year. We will focus on


fundamentals and basic understanding of the game and techniques. Varies sport units will be taught to incorporate students in physical activity as well as social development and learning and utilizing strategies to accomplish their goals. In physical education we will go over basic rules of volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, frisbee games, softball, netball games, football, and field day activities. Spanish Curriculum

PK-‐3 through Kindergarten – Spanish for the early childhood grades is interactive and fun! Students become familiar with Spanish as a second language through songs, finger plays, rhymes, and games. Aside from learning new vocabulary, the children will also reinforce concepts which they are learning in their homerooms such as colors, shapes, numbers, days of the week, and directionality.

First through Third Grades – Focus is on reinforcing the concepts with which they are already familiar with in English: colors, shapes, numbers, directionality, letter sounds, and the calendar. Songs and rhymes are used as a means to motivate their learning a new language. There is a greater focus on learning vocabulary.

Sixth through 8 Grades – Students will review some of the concepts covered in the lower grades but we will be advancing to new vocabulary that is also being introduced in content areas for their respective grade levels. Additionally, they will also build Interactive Notebooks that will give them structured practice in conjugating verbs, reading for understanding, and independent writing as they work through lessons in the mechanics of Spanish grammar.

Documents

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