| N/A
= Not available for this grade level. Note: If this course was
not completed in prior grades, it may be done now. |
The
elementary (N-8th grade) Literature Program is taken entirely
from the "Good Books" list compiled by Dr. John Senior.
The 9th-12th grade program consists of selections of the Great
Books, selected principally by Dr. Mortimer J. Adler with additions
for the Medievals by Drs. Quinn, Senior, Nelick. |
We
recommend the study to fluency in a foreign language, beginning
in 1st grade (especially the ancient inflected languages
-Greek and Latin). Our diploma requires proficiency in any
one foreign language. |
Music,
drama and dance can be characterized as the fine symbolic arts,
because they consist variously of notes, words and figures.
Music, drama and dance (or some form of gymnastics) classes
may easily be found in most locales, and are encouraged.
We recommend that students learn to play at least one musical
instrument reasonably well, for recreation, self-expression, and
to learn control of the emotions and passions. |
Drawing,
painting, sculpture (or modeling), and crafts may be characterized
as fine material arts, meaning that what is required is to make
or transform some material thing. |
All
of our religion texts have been given an Imprimatur by
the competent Catholic Church authority. The Great Books
readings also include many Catholic works, including selections
from the Old and New Testaments, The Confessions of St. Augustine,
History of the English Church by Ven. Bede, The Summa by St. Thomas
Aquinas, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, etc., presented in the
Socratic mode by Catholic moderators. |
This
course follows the chronological order of history, beginning with
Creation and Adam and Eve. The early grades are largely stories,
heavily illustrated to help provide a sense of time. In the early
grades literature often teaches history best. Grade 6 include
a more mature, though brief recapitulation of ancient history.
The Great Books include much history, integrated into the readings,
beginning with the Greek historian Herodotus. |
Mathematics
at the elementary level should be taught with many connections
with the real world and real human problems, not as a purely
abstract set of formulae. Most textbooks, including those we selected
(for want of any better) insufficiently connect math to reality
for youngsters. |
We
do not recommend science as a separate subject before 4th (or
even 7th grade). Prior to that time a few "wonders"
might be demonstrated, such as the constellations and resonance
in music, but only phenomena which are simple should be considered.
Field trips, simple experiments and stories of early discoveries
and scientists should begin to be read and reenacted in these
years. This is the age of wonder and contact with the beauties
of nature, not excessive analysis. |
The
Great Books Discussion Groups are not sequential prior to the
9th grade, and may be begun at any year or time. From 9th-12th
grades they are sequential and students need to begin at the beginning,
with the 9th grade readings only, regardless of their grade levels
in other subjects. |
This
course is age appropriate and a wonderful training in the liberal
art of thinking. Dr. Peter Redpath, the Chairman of the Angelicum
Academy, taught this course for years and highly recommends it.
The Great Books course in grades 9-12 integrates education in
reasoning, logic, rhetoric and ethics. |
Our
Geography course is based on National Geographic's 100+ years
of issues, indexed and on CDs, with Lesson Plans developed
by the Academy to run parallel with the history course grades.
Geography gives us the setting of human events all over the planet
and their relatedness to nature, the environment, weather,
scarce resources and the common struggles of mankind, engendering
a mutual respect. It may be studied profitably even in the
earliest grades. Unlike social studies, it is not an attempt to
abolish history, but compliments it. |
Like
our Geography course, our Cartography (Map skills) course is a
National Geographic product of the finest quality, (copyrighted
2000 A.D.). It therefore ties in well with the Geography and history
courses. |
