Curriculum
Nurturing students’ curiosity about God’s world and providing a strong biblical worldview foundation for future learning are at the core of DC’s Lower School curriculum. Students are encouraged to develop habits for lifelong learning through the exploration of rich content in Bible, history, math, science, language arts, and Greek and Latin roots - all taught from a biblical perspective. In addition to solid content knowledge, students develop their skills and apply their learning as they work together to ask questions, solve problems, and make connections to the world. The result is a joyful environment in which students are encouraged to share ideas around meaningful work.
Students learn and grow at different rates and in different ways. At DC, instruction is planned to appeal to diverse learners. Through individual, small group, and whole group instruction, students experience various pathways to learning. Additionally, hands-on, interactive activities help students experiment, take meaningful risks, and understand new concepts.
To enhance the learning environment, enrichment classes are embedded into the students' school day. The HIVE ( Hub of Innovation and Exploration) is an interdisciplinary class where students are encouraged to think critically, exercise creativity, collaborate with peers and communicate their learning. HIVE and art class are taught topically in grades 1-5 to foster deeper learning and collaboration across grade levels. Students collaborate as young scientists and engineers to solve real-world problems, using the design cycle.
Music, physical education, Spanish, and library and technology are also a part of the student schedule. Each year students participate in local and regional competitions, such as the ACSI Math Olympics, ACSI Spelling Bee, and various art and writing contests. Students participate in Bible instruction each day and are encouraged to grow in their faith and walk with God in all of their learning. Students utilize the English Standard version of the Bible. In addition to Bible class, students in grades 1-5 participate in weekly chapel and various service opportunities both in school and in the broader community.
Grade Level
1st Grade
Bible
This curriculum is designed to give an overview of the books of Genesis through Ruth, and to guide students into real-life application of the lessons in these books. Students will see the Bible as one cohesive story of God’s creation and His plan for its redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ. Students learn that the written words of the Bible are one of the main ways God communicates with man. As students study God’s Word, they learn that the Bible is true, historical, and divinely inspired.
Math
Our spiraled Everyday Math curriculum exposes students to a variety of topics and skills that are revisited regularly in order to ensure full concept development.
Reading
Reading in first grade consists of building a strong foundation in early literacy skills beginning with the systematic teaching of phonics. Additionally, through the reading of whole books, each student is equipped with the necessary skills to comprehend various texts and build skills in written expression. Using rich literature and visual arts, students exercise higher order thinking skills, engage in deep peer discussions, and build upon their knowledge of the written word. Students read books such as Waiting for the Biblioburro and Tomás and the Library Lady to answer the essential question, “How do books change lives around the world?” Students simultaneously explore how the Bible changes lives in our own families. Because reading is a developmental skill, unfolding for each child at a different rate, developmentally appropriate practices and activities are used.
Science
Our science studies are designed to increase the child’s awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the Creator and His creation through unit studies of solids, liquids, and gases; weather; force; energy; keeping our bodies healthy; and the Earth.
Social Studies/History
History topics include Ancient Egypt, ancient civilizations of the Americas, the Revolutionary War, and early exploration of the American West. Students also study the culture and geography of Mexico.
Spanish
Introductory Spanish equips students to begin to engage a multicultural world, as they learn the pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and structures of Spanish through the method of Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS).
STEM
Students make predictions based on observations, recognize that all products and systems are subject to failure, and understand that many products and systems can be fixed. Using the design cycle as a creative process, students construct pyramids connected to our history curriculum.
2nd Grade
Bible
The Second grade Bible class provides an overview of the Old Testament and the prophecies leading to the birth of Christ. The Bible curriculum is a comprehensive program that teaches students the good news of God’s Word. It provides a sequential, linear look at the plan of God through history from Creation to the life of Christ. Students study James, emphasizing the importance of right words and deeds among the body of believers. Students complete an overview of the Old Testament, focusing on God’s rescue plan for His people. Students study the Intertestamental Times, known as “the silent years,”and highlight the role of the Greeks and Romans in the spread of the Gospel. The life of Christ particularly focusing on His teaching, parables, and miracles concludes the second grade year.
Math
Through our Everyday Math curriculum, we address a variety of topics and skills that are revisited regularly in order to ensure full concept development. The course emphasizes frequent practice of basic skills through ongoing instruction, routines, and mathematical games.
Reading
Second grade students work to become fluent and thoughtful readers who can read accurately and with understanding. Students are invited to think critically about literature and the visual arts in light of God’s Word, the Source of all Truth. For example, through books and poems such as Weather and The Little Yellow Leaf students observe how change impacts God’s Creation and draw comparisons to the unchanging nature of God. Using various writing activities, students make connections to their reading and are taught to organize ideas as they follow the writing process to complete a finished product.
Science
The second grade science curriculum addresses topics from four strands of science. Our goal is for students to view science as an exciting avenue for learning more about God and His Creation.
Social Studies/History
Our second grade history curriculum focuses on Early Asian civilizations, Ancient Greece, the Constitution, Westward Expansion, the Civil War, and Civil Rights, among other topics. Modern Japanese culture is also studied.
Spanish
Introductory Spanish equips students to begin to engage a multicultural world, as they learn the pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and structures of Spanish through the method of Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS).
STEM
Students benefit from a weekly STEM class, where they engage in hands-on investigations in force, motion, and simple machines, related to launching a candy pumpkin in a “punkin chunkin” challenge. Through the design process, students learn to apply a solution to solve a problem.
3rd Grade
Bible
Third grade begins the year by examining the gospel message as presented by Paul in the book of Ephesians. Third grade students focus on the story of creation, the fall, and the consequences of sin entering the world through their study of the Books of Genesis and Exodus. Students identify God’s promise to defeat sin and death and trace God’s redemptive story through the lives of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses and the Israelites. Students trace the fulfillment of God’s promises through the lives of the patriarchs and the life and death of Jesus Christ. Character study is woven throughout the various units, examining the examples of faith, sin and repentance in the lives of the biblical characters.
English/Language Arts
Weekly writing assignments in language arts encourage students to sequence and organize thoughts to effectively communicate in written text. As part of Writing across the Curriculum, major writing assignments are built into the curriculum to give students the building blocks of basic research and report writing.
Math
In math, students are exposed to a variety of topics and skills which are revisited regularly in order to ensure full concept development. Emphasis is placed on problem-solving, an approach that seeks to develop critical thinking.
Reading
Students are taught essential reading skills as well as the elements of reading, while fostering the joy of reading and writing. This integrated approach helps students to engage with the text through reading, writing, discussion and presentation. As students engage meaningfully in their learning, they are building the knowledge and skills to be successful in their reading, critical in their thinking, and confident in their communication.
Science
A study of monarch butterflies and a unit on hatching chick eggs are hallmarks of our third grade curriculum. Through these explorations, students learn about God’s intricate creation and how He provides for and equips various living creatures for their environments and survival.
Social Studies/History
Our study of history includes units on Ancient Rome, the Vikings, and the Thirteen Colonies. Geography studies focus on world rivers, and studies in modern culture explore Canada.
Spanish
Introductory Spanish equips students to begin to engage a multicultural world, as they learn the pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and structures of Spanish through the method of Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). Music and culture are also important elements of our lower school Spanish instruction.
STEM
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how to connect science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content, practice, and processes while engaging in inquiry-based and project-based learning activities. In the unit, What Floats Your Boat? students will use the design cycle to solve real-world problems related to buoyancy.
4th Grade
Bible
This course is designed to teach the student an understanding of who God is, how to know that the Bible is the Word of God and how to present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It also teaches that prayer is an important aspect of spiritual growth. Finally, the course encourages students to develop God-honoring characteristics and to grow in wisdom as he/she studies the lives of Biblical personalities. The specific books covered are Philippians, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I Kings, Psalms and Proverbs.
English/Language Arts
In fourth grade, students increase their knowledge of the writing process, crafting pieces within a variety of genres so that they learn to organize their ideas and write in a clear and cohesive format consistent with their individual writing style.
Math
Math emphasizes a real-world problem-solving approach that seeks to develop critical thinking in six mathematical content strands: numeration; operations and computation; patterns, functions and algebra; geometry; measurement; data analysis and probability.
Reading
The fourth grade reading curriculum equips students with the vocabulary, comprehension and interpretive skills necessary to read literature in the light of God’s Word. Literary elements include: setting, theme, problem/solution, point of view and cause and effect. Reading strategies such as summarization, inference and analyzing encourage students to interact more deeply with the text.
Science
Fourth grade science opens up a world of hypothesizing, testing, and exploring the creation around us as students are challenged to make conclusions based on evidence gathered through observation and experimentation, touching on four strands of science: life, physical, earth, and space and technology.
Social Studies/History
In social studies/history, we examine the Middle Ages, African Kingdoms, and China, in addition to the American Revolution and the history of Pennsylvania - including its geography, economy, and government, culminating in a field trip to Harrisburg.
Spanish
Introductory Spanish equips students to begin to engage a multicultural world, in keeping with DC’s mission to impact the world for Christ. Students learn the pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and structures of Spanish through the method of Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS).
STEM
Students will be able to independently demonstrate grade appropriate understanding of STEM content, make connections between STEM and real life, and work collaboratively to write a plan using the design cycle to solve complex problems related to building bridges and skyscrapers.
5th Grade
Bible
The fifth grade Bible curriculum begins with a study of 1 Peter and his call to Christians to lead a humble, servant’s life, even in suffering and persecution. It continues with the study of the promises of God and His faithfulness to His chosen people, focusing particularly on Judah’s time in exile. Students learn about how Jesus’ coming is foretold and how He is seen throughout the entire Old Testament. The curriculum ends with a comprehensive study of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, showing the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The specific persons discussed are Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Judah, David, Daniel, Esther, the people of Judah (including their rulers and prophets), Jesus, and the disciples.
English/Language Arts
English/Language Arts emphasizes writing often and in a variety of situations so that students develop writing fluency and the ability to write for different purposes.
History
DC fifth graders also explore America’s heritage. Distinct periods covered include colonization, events leading to a break with Great Britain, and the War for Independence. Students readily understand history not to be individual events in time, but the cause and effect of one event upon another.
Math
In math, students practice all four operations with decimals and fractions, thinking critically and developing a variety of problem solving strategies.
Reading
The fifth grade reading program explicitly teaches reading strategies to improve comprehension. Students focus on identifying predictable story structure and writing techniques that indicate theme, character, plot, conflict and foreshadowing. Critical thinking questions help students identify key events, main ideas and author’s purpose.
Science
Studying the sea shore ecosystem at Cape May and identifying and classifying rocks and minerals while camping are highlights of the 5th grade experience at DC. Centered around the genius of our creator God, these excursions and other explorations, such as handling specimens, participating in experiments, watching demonstrations, and discussing issues with fellow classmates all help to connect students’ learning to the real world.
Spanish
Introductory Spanish equips students to begin to engage a multicultural world, as they learn the pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and structures of Spanish through the method of Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). Building on the skills of the earlier grade levels, students in fifth grade put their learning to work as they read short stories in Spanish.
STEM
Students will be able to independently demonstrate grade appropriate understanding of STEM content, make connections between STEM and real life, and use the design cycle to collaboratively design a “beat-the-heat” spacecraft.