Grammar School Overview

 

What is Grammar School?

In a classical education, the first years of schooling are called the “grammar stage” — not because you spend four years doing English, but because these are the years in which the building blocks for all other learning are laid, just as grammar is the foundation for language. In the elementary school years — what we commonly think of as grades one through four — the mind is ready to absorb information. Children at this age actually find memorization fun. So during this period, education involves not only self-expression and self-discovery, but also the learning of facts. Rules of phonics and spelling and grammar, poetry, the vocabulary of foreign languages, the stories of history and literature, descriptions of plants and animals and the human body, the facts of mathematics — the list goes on. This information makes up the “grammar,” or the basic building blocks, for the second stage of education.

Around fifth grade, a child’s mind begins to think more analytically.  Middle-school students are less interested in finding out facts than asking, “Why?” The second phase of the classical education, the “Logic Stage,” is a time when the child begins to pay attention to cause and effect, to the relationships between different fields of knowledge, and to the way facts fit together into a logical framework.

At MGA, our Grammar School encompasses Grammar-stage students as well as the early Logic-stage students.  Level K is Kindergarten; Levels A through B are comparable, generally, to grades first through fifth.  Because we do not place children by age, and do not automatically move a child to the next level each year, the comparison to traditional ‘grade’ levels is just a general one.  Students are placed based on reading level, maturity level, and in consultation with parents.

 

Grammar School Capabilities, by Level

 

Kindergarten (Grade K) – Pre-reading students -This class will work on letter and number recognition, letter sounds and will teach beginning reading skills.

  Level A  (Grade 1) – Beginning reader students -The child beginning this class can read three-letter words with little struggle. Simple sentence structure will be taught along with phonics instruction.

Level B  (Grade 2) – The child beginning this class can easily read long and short vowel words, many sight words and sentences in Level 2 readers or above.
 
Level C  (Grade 3) – The child in this class is reading at 3rd grade level or above, but is still in the stage of absorbing information and experiences.

Level D  (Grade 4) – The child in this class is reading at a 4th grade level or above and is beginning to analyze information and experiences.

 Level E   (Grade 5) – The child in this class is reading at a 5th grade level or above. They are becoming independent in their reading.  In level E the students are being expected to assume more individual responsibility for their work and their learning.

  

Grammar School Curricula, By Level

 

Level A

Literature:         Five in a Row
Phonics:            Go Phonics
History:              Ancient Times, using the Old Testament and
                             Story of the World Vol. 1.
Math:                  Right Start Level B.

Level B

Literature:         Five in a Row
Phonics:            Go Phonics
History:              Ancient Times, using the Old Testament and  
                             Story of the World Vol. 1.
Math:                  Right Start Level C.

Level C

Literature:         Total Language Plus
English:              Rod and Staff
History:               Middle Ages, 400-1600
Math:                  Right Start Level D.
Science:            Christian Kids Explore Physics

Level D

Literature:         Total Language Plus
English:              Rod and Staff
History:               Early Modern Times, 1600-1850
Math:                   Right Start Level E.
Science:             Christian Kids Explore Physics

Level E

Literature:         Total Language Plus
English:              Rod and Staff
History:               Modern Times, 1850 – Present
Math:                   Right Start Intermediate, Hands-On Geometry
Science:             Christian Kids Explore Physics

 

In addition to the above classes, GS students will enjoy Art and P.E. classes each day. 

The GS schedule consists of six 40-minute classes per day plus a lunch/play period.

Grammar School Schedule for 2011-2012 will be published shortly.

Grammar School Curricula List for 2011-2012 can be downloaded here: 

For further information about Grammar School (K – 5th), contact Director Susan Riddle (see contact information below).