A Foundation Built On God’s Word

lower school

Preschool - 3rd Grade

Jessica Bolin

Lower School Director

What I love most about our Lower School program is the vibrant tapestry of curiosity and joy that envelops our learning space each day. Witnessing the genuine excitement in the eyes of our little learners as they explore, discover, and connect with the Lord is one of the greatest joys of my life.

Our program not only exceeds academic standards; we create an environment where every child feels valued, confident, and free to express their unique, God-given personalities. The laughter echoing through the hallways, the artwork proudly displayed, and the genuine bonds formed between children and our team makes our program feel like a home filled with warmth and shared adventures every day.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible community, watching these young minds bloom into confident, creative individuals. It's the everyday moments of wonder and connection that make our program truly special.

Preschool

  • At ACS, our primary goal in PreK2 is to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters the development of foundational school skills, preparing your child for a successful educational journey ahead.

    1. Promoting Early Language Skills: Our curriculum for 2-year-olds focuses on fostering early language development. Through fun and interactive activities, we strive to introduce basic sounds and encourage language exploration. Our goal is to create a foundation for language skills, nurturing a love for communication and laying the groundwork for future learning.

    2. Exploring Early Numeracy: Our program for 2-year-olds aims to nurture the foundation of early numeracy skills. We introduce simple and age-appropriate activities that emphasize counting, recognizing numbers, and basic numerical concepts. By engaging in enjoyable and accessible math experiences, we encourage a positive attitude towards learning and pave the way for future mathematical understanding.

    3. Establishing Healthy Routines: We recognize the importance of fostering routines that contribute to a child's well-rounded development. Alongside a structured daily routine for learning and play, we also integrate a thoughtful approach to potty training. By incorporating designated times for potty breaks, we aim to support your child's growing independence and ensure a positive experience in their early education journey.

    4. Active Play and Movement Fun: We believe in making physical development enjoyable for our 2-year-olds. Our activities focus on play and movement to boost both big and small movements. Through fun exercises, children will improve their coordination, balance, and finger skills, setting the stage for playtime adventures and future growth.

    One of the exciting aspects of our curriculum is our weekly focus on various elements that play a crucial role in your child's early education.

    Letter of the Week: Every week, we introduce a new letter to our little learners. Through interactive activities and games, we encourage them to explore and understand the sound and shape of each letter. This helps build a strong foundation for language development.

    Number Exploration: Numbers come to life in our PreK2 classes! From counting games to simple math activities, we guide your child through the world of numbers, making learning both educational and enjoyable.

    Shape Adventures: Shapes are all around us, and our students embark on exciting shape adventures. Through hands-on activities, they learn to identify and understand different shapes, enhancing their cognitive and spatial skills.

    Theme of the Week: Each week brings a new and exciting theme that captivates the imagination of our young learners. Whether it's exploring nature, outer space, or

    community helpers, our thematic approach makes learning engaging and meaningful.

    Biblical Focus: As a Christian-based program, we integrate biblical teachings into our daily activities. Our little ones learn valuable lessons from the Bible, fostering character development and a sense of community.

    We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that not only focuses on academic skills but also on social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Our dedicated team of educators is here to support and guide your child on this wonderful journey.

  • At ACS, our primary goal in PreK3 is to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters the development of foundational school skills, preparing your child for a successful educational journey ahead.

    1. Phonetic and Alphabet Sounds: Our PreK3 curriculum places a strong emphasis on phonics and the sounds of the alphabet. Through engaging activities and interactive lessons, we aim to instill a solid understanding of letter recognition and the phonetic sounds associated with each letter. This forms the basis for early literacy skills, setting the stage for future reading success.

    2. Beginning Math Skills: Introducing basic math concepts at an early age is crucial for developing a strong foundation in mathematics. Our curriculum includes age-appropriate math activities that focus on counting, number recognition, and basic mathematical operations. These activities are designed to make learning math enjoyable and accessible for our young learners.

    3. Routine Implementation: Consistency and routine are key elements in a child's early education. Our PreK3 program incorporates a structured daily routine to provide a sense of security and predictability for your child. This routine includes designated times for learning, play, snacks, and rest, creating a balanced and supportive environment for their overall development.

    4. Gross and Fine Motor Skills: Physical development is an integral part of early childhood education. Our curriculum includes activities that promote the development of both gross and fine motor skills. Through play and movement-based exercises, children will enhance their coordination, balance, and dexterity, laying the groundwork for various physical activities and future learning.

    One of the exciting aspects of our curriculum is our weekly focus on various elements that play a crucial role in your child's early education.

    Letter of the Week: Every week, we introduce a new letter to our little learners. Through interactive activities and games, we encourage them to explore and understand the sound and shape of each letter. This helps build a strong foundation for language development.

    Number Exploration: Numbers come to life in our PreK3 classes! From counting games to simple math activities, we guide your child through the world of numbers, making learning both educational and enjoyable.

    Shape Adventures: Shapes are all around us, and our students embark on exciting shape adventures. Through hands-on activities, they learn to identify and understand different shapes, enhancing their cognitive and spatial skills.

    Theme of the Week: Each week brings a new and exciting theme that captivates the imagination of our young learners. Whether it's exploring nature, outer space, or community helpers, our thematic approach makes learning engaging and meaningful.

    Biblical Focus: As a Christian-based program, we integrate biblical teachings into our daily activities. Our little ones learn valuable lessons from the Bible, fostering character development and a sense of community.

    We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that not only focuses on academic skills but also on social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Our dedicated team of educators is here to support and guide your child on this wonderful journey.

  • At ACS, our primary goal in PreK4 is to provide a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters the development of foundational school skills, preparing your child for a successful entry into kindergarten. We strive to ensure that each child develops a strong foundation for future academic success while fostering a love for learning. We aim to create a positive and engaging environment where children feel supported, encouraged, and curious about the world around them.

    Our curriculum is designed to cover a wide range of areas, with a special emphasis on early math skills, pre-reading skills, and exposure to early science and social studies concepts. Each day, your child will be immersed in a variety of activities that promote development. Students are taught three core lessons daily, focusing on Math, English, and Word Building. These lessons are designed to provide a well-rounded educational experience for your child.

    1. Early Math Skills: Through interactive and traditional lessons, we will introduce fundamental math concepts such as rote counting, number recognition, basic patterns, and simple addition and subtraction skills. Our goal is to build a strong mathematical foundation and foster a positive attitude towards math.

    2. Pre-reading Skills: We will engage your child in lessons that promote language development, phonetic awareness, and a love for reading. Storytime, word-building exercises, and language-rich experiences will be integrated into our daily routine to enhance pre-reading skills.

    3. Early Science and Social Studies Lessons: Exploration is key to understanding the world, and our students will have the opportunity to explore basic science and social studies concepts through age-appropriate experiments, lessons, and discussions. This hands-on approach encourages curiosity and critical thinking.

    4. Learning Through Group Play and Activity: We believe in the power of play as a valuable learning tool. Group play activities will be an integral part of our curriculum, promoting social skills, teamwork, and problem-solving in a fun and supportive environment.

    Kindergarten Readiness: Our top goal is to prepare your child for the transition to kindergarten. By the end of the year, we aim to equip them with the necessary skills and confidence to thrive in a more structured learning environment.

    One of the exciting aspects of our curriculum is our daily focus on various elements that play a crucial role in your child's early education.

    Daily Math Lessons: Numbers come to life in our PreK4 classes! From counting games to fun math activities, we guide your child through the world of numbers, making learning both educational and enjoyable on a daily basis.

    Daily English Lessons: We have incorporated daily English lessons to enhance language skills. Through storytelling, vocabulary-building activities, and language exercises, your child will have the opportunity to develop strong English language skills.

    Daily Word Building Lessons: To promote literacy, we have dedicated time each day for wordbuilding lessons. These lessons focus on expanding your child's vocabulary and understanding of words, laying the groundwork for effective communication and reading.

    Shape Adventures: Shapes are all around us, and our students embark on exciting shape adventures. Through hands-on activities, they learn to identify and understand different shapes, enhancing their cognitive and spatial skills.

    Theme of the Week: Each week brings a new and exciting theme that captivates the imagination of our young learners. Whether it's exploring nature, outer space, or community helpers, our thematic approach makes learning engaging and meaningful.

    Biblical Focus: As a Christian-based program, we integrate biblical teachings into our daily activities. Our little ones learn valuable lessons from the Bible, fostering character development and a sense of community.

    We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that not only focuses on academic skills but also on social, emotional, and spiritual growth. Our dedicated team of educators is here to support and guide your child on this wonderful journey.

Kindergarten - Third Grade

  • Reading, Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary

    In our Kindergarten program at Arundel Christian School, we are committed to laying a strong foundation in literacy skills crucial for academic success and personal development. Our focus is on nurturing well-rounded students who become confident readers and communicators.

    By the end of kindergarten, our aim is for students to achieve significant literacy milestones. Kindergarten readers should:

    • Begin to apply phonics knowledge to decode unfamiliar words confidently.

    • Develop skills in decoding words while simultaneously building comprehension.

    • Recognize commonly encountered words by sight.

    • Initiate attempts to sound out unknown words phoneme by phoneme.

    • Understand the importance of reading for meaning and practice self-correction of errors.

    • Utilize word chunks to aid in reading.

    • Demonstrate the ability to derive meaning independently from text.

    Additionally, our program places emphasis on the development of robust phonics, spelling, and vocabulary skills. Kindergarten students will:

    • Apply phonics principles to spelling and vocabulary expansion.

    • Learn and practice fundamental spelling rules and strategies.

    • Expand vocabulary through exposure to diverse texts and contexts.

    • Develop an awareness of word meanings and utilize context clues effectively.

    Our curriculum employs various instructional strategies to support the literacy growth of our students, including explicit phonics instruction, interactive spelling activities, and guided reading practice.

    Math, Science, Social Studies

    At Arundel Christian School, our Kindergarten program offers students a solid foundation in core subjects such as math, science, and social studies. Through dynamic and interactive lessons, students explore a variety of foundational concepts.

    In mathematics, students focus on:

    • Counting by different numbers up to 100.

    • Recognizing and writing numbers up to 100.

    • Understanding the value of single-digit numbers.

    • Knowing what numbers come next, before, and between up to 100.

    • Understanding place value for ones and tens.

    • Recognizing odd and even numbers.

    • Adding and subtracting single digits without carrying or borrowing.

    • Recognizing and using common coins and telling time.

    • Naming days, months, and seasons.

    • Understanding lengths and measurements.

    • Making simple comparisons.

    • Predicting what comes next in a sequence

    In science and social studies, students explore:

    • Exploration of Earth's biomes, including the people, culture, animals, and weather associated with each.

    • Introduction to the solar system, including basic concepts about the moon.

    • Topics such as astronauts, space exploration, technology, animals, and weather.

    • Understanding space travel and its associated challenges.

    Our curriculum builds upon these foundational skills, providing students with a deeper understanding of these subjects and preparing them for further academic exploration.

    Enrichment Classes

    Our Kindergarten program at Arundel Christian School goes beyond basic subjects. It includes music, art, gym, and foundational biblical teachings, aiming to provide young learners with diverse experiences:

    Music explores rhythm, melody, and harmony in a way that's engaging for their age.

    Art encourages their creativity and self-expression.

    Gym promotes physical activity, coordination, and teamwork tailored for their developmental stage.

    Foundational biblical teachings lay the groundwork for understanding and foster a love for Jesus.

    Through these enriching classes, students receive a well-rounded education that nurtures their interests, talents, and character, setting them up for success in all areas of life.

  • Reading, Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary

    In our First Grade program at Arundel Christian School, we are dedicated to nurturing well-rounded students with strong literacy skills that are essential for academic success and personal growth. By the end of first grade, our goal is for students to achieve a comprehensive set of literacy milestones.

    Readers at this level should:

    • Apply phonics to confidently read unfamiliar words.

    • Focus on decoding words while building comprehension.

    • Recognize frequently encountered words by sight.

    • Attempt to sound out unknown words phoneme by phoneme.

    • Realize that reading should make sense and self-correct errors.

    • Look for word chunks to assist in reading.

    • Demonstrate the ability to comprehend meaning independently from text.

    In addition to these reading skills, our program focuses on developing strong phonics, spelling, and vocabulary skills. Students will:

    • Apply phonics to spelling and vocabulary development.

    • Learn and practice spelling rules and strategies.

    • Expand vocabulary through exposure to diverse texts.

    • Develop an awareness of word meanings and use context clues.

    Our curriculum incorporates various instructional approaches to support students' literacy development, including explicit phonics instruction, interactive spelling activities, and guided reading practice.

    Math, Science, Social Studies

    Our First Grade program at Arundel Christian School provides students with a strong foundation in fundamental subjects like math, science, and social studies. Through engaging and interactive lessons, students explore a wide range of concepts.

    In mathematics, students focus on:

    • Understanding numbers, order, and value.

    • Learning addition, subtraction, time, money, measurement, place value, fractions, and basic geometry.

    • Analyzing graphs, estimation, and problem-solving.

    • Introducing concepts of multiplication and division.

    In science and social studies, students explore:

    • Earth's biomes, including people, culture, animals, and weather.

    • The solar system, including the moon.

    • Astronauts, space exploration, technology, animals, and weather.

    • Space travel and its challenges.

    Our curriculum builds upon foundational skills, providing students with a deeper exploration of these subjects and preparing them for further academic challenges.

    Enrichment Classes

    At Arundel Christian School, our First Grade program includes enriching experiences in music, art, gym, and Bible studies to foster holistic development.

    Music class explores rhythm, melody, and harmony. Art class unleashes creativity. Gym class promotes fitness, coordination, and teamwork. Bible studies deepen understanding of faith and values.

    Through these classes, students receive a well-rounded education, nurturing their interests, talents, and character for success in all areas of life.

  • A Comprehensive Second Grade Curriculum

    English: Writing and Grammar - 2nd Grade

    At Arundel Christian School, academic excellence is deeply ingrained in our culture. We inspire our second graders to reach for their best in all areas of learning.

    As they embark on their journey in second grade, we introduce them to the exciting world of writing and grammar. Through fun and interactive lessons, we lay the groundwork for their language development, nurturing their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning while building a solid understanding of essential writing and grammar concepts, including:

    Understanding Words: Exploring different word types like names, action words, describing words, and words that show how something is done.

    Putting Sentences Together: Learning to make sentences, ensuring they're complete, and recognizing different sentence types.

    Writing Rules: Understanding when to use capital letters and punctuation marks such as periods and commas.

    Using Words Correctly: Practicing using words correctly in sentences and ensuring they fit together properly.

    Writing Practice & Help: Writing stories and paragraphs with assistance, correcting mistakes, and sharing writing with others. Learning new words with the help of teachers and classmates. Using pictures to organize ideas and checking work with lists.

    Writing Projects: Trying different types of writing such as poems and stories about personal experiences or favorite things.

    Research Skills: Learning to find information in books and on computers for reports.

    Using dictionaries to understand new words and taking notes when learning.

    Listening and Speaking: Paying attention when people talk and practicing speaking with friends and teachers.

    Reading - 2nd Grade

    We're committed to fostering a love for reading. We aim to inspire our second graders to enjoy exploring stories and discovering new worlds through books. Through fun and supportive teaching, we hope to spark a lifelong enthusiasm for reading that will benefit them academically, emotionally, and spiritually. In second grade, we teach the following reading skills:

    Phonics and Word Recognition: Learning sounds and spellings, understanding syllable patterns, prefixes, suffixes, compound words, and common service words.

    Vocabulary: Understanding words from context, learning synonyms, antonyms, homophones, prefixes, suffixes, analogies, and contractions.

    Comprehension: Grasping direct information and making interpretations, interpreting pictures, sequencing events, classifying information, comparing, contrasting, understanding cause and effect, making inferences, drawing conclusions, predicting outcomes, identifying true/false statements, understanding time and place, relevant information, facts, opinions, and main ideas.

    Literature: Exploring various genres such as realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, fables, folktales, tall tales, articles, Bible accounts, biographies, poetry, dramas, and mysteries. Analyzing characters, development, motives, traits, settings, plots, points of view, figurative language, idioms, imagery, and literary devices in poetry.

    Informational Text Skills: Learning about book parts, alphabetizing, identifying Bible books, reading calendars, recipes, poems, hymn stanzas, captions, headings, maps, diagrams, graphs, and using graphic organizers.

    Fluency: Developing silent reading skills for understanding different texts and practicing oral reading to convey messages effectively.

    Composition: Writing responses to reading, practicing descriptive writing, sharing personal experiences, writing poems, and creating alternate story endings.

    Spelling and Penmanship - 2nd Grade

    We emphasize the significance of proper spelling and penmanship in the development of young writers. We believe that mastering spelling rules and improving handwriting skills early on is crucial for effective written communication. Through structured instruction and practice, we aim to instill confidence in students' ability to express themselves clearly and accurately in writing. The skills taught include:

    Weekly Word Lists: Lists of words commonly used in writing, including those with specific patterns and irregular spellings, reviewed weekly through interactive methods.

    Generalizations: Learning phonics rules for vowel patterns, consonant patterns, recognizing two-syllable words and understanding structural rules for compound words, contractions, and suffixes.

    Word Study: Sorting words based on common features, building words by adding or removing letters, engaging in phonics and structural analysis, and understanding word meanings in context.

    Proofreading: Developing spelling awareness, correcting misspelled words, identifying correct spellings, and practicing for standardized tests.

    Dictionary Skills: Learning to find words in dictionaries, understanding alphabetical order and guide words, and recognizing different word forms.

    Writing Application: Practicing dictation sentences and applying spelling skills in real-life writing scenarios.

    Mathematics - 2nd Grade

    In Second Grade at Arundel Christian School, we build upon the foundational math skills introduced in First Grade while also introducing exciting new concepts. Through interactive and hands-on lessons, students deepen their understanding of addition, subtraction, and basic arithmetic. They also begin exploring concepts like place value, measurement, and simple fractions. With engaging activities and supportive guidance, students develop the confidence and skills needed to tackle more complex mathematical challenges as they progress through their academic journey.

    In second grade mathematics, students focus on:

    • Counting by various intervals up to 1000, including by 1s, 5s, 10s, 2s, 3s, 6s, 9s, 4s, 8s, and 7s.

    • Understanding ordinal numbers up to 100 and their sequence.

    • Differentiating between greater than, less than, equal to, and not equal to.

    • Learning place value for ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands.

    • Practicing addition and subtraction with carrying and borrowing, with numbers up to four digits.

    • Understanding time, money, measurements, and temperature.

    • Exploring fractions, groups, and comparisons.

    • Recognizing and identifying shapes and their properties.

    • Solving problems involving area, perimeter, volume, and basic graphs.

    • Rounding numbers, height, length, and time.

    • Memorizing multiplication facts up to 10 and solving related word problems.

    Science - 2nd Grade

    Second-grade students begin their exploration of new science concepts. Through interactive lessons, they discover the wonders of the natural world, learning about matter, Earth's movements, animal life cycles, and more. These engaging experiences nurture curiosity and critical thinking skills, setting a solid foundation for future learning. The following topics are explored:

    General Science

    • Understanding science, scientists, and its importance.

    • Developing skills like observing, classifying, measuring, and communicating.

    • Learning about science tools and the scientific method.

    Physical Science

    • Exploring matter's origin and properties.

    • Understanding states of matter and changes in temperature.

    • Learning about different forces and motion.

    Earth-Space Science

    • Exploring the solar system and Earth's movements.

    • Understanding Earth's surface, weathering, and erosion.

    • Exploring natural resources and the importance of conservation.

    Life Science

    • Understanding plant growth, parts, and life cycles.

    • Exploring animal needs, classifications, and life cycles.

    • Learning about habitats, fossils, and the human body's systems.

    *This is a one-semester course.

    Social Studies - 2nd Grade

    In second grade, students embark on an exciting journey of discovery in social studies. Through interactive lessons, they explore various aspects of communities, geography, history, government, economics, American culture, and their heritage. These engaging experiences foster curiosity and critical thinking skills, laying the groundwork for further exploration and understanding. The following topics are covered:

    Focus:

    Developing a Christian worldview of communities, government, trade, people, places, and American culture.

    Geography:

    • Map skills including grid maps and map scales.

    • Studying the geography of North America and the United States, including population density, landforms, bodies of water, and climate zones.

    History:

    • Exploring the development and changes within communities.

    • Learning about memorials.

    Government:

    • Understanding how a bill becomes a law.

    • Exploring the purpose of government, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

    • Studying the levels of government (national, state, local) and the process of choosing leaders.

    • Understanding citizenship, rights, responsibilities, and international cooperation.

    Social Studies Skills:

    • Comparing different points of view and solving problems.

    • Distinguishing between fact and fiction, cause and effect, and primary and secondary sources.

    Economics:

    • Exploring work, specialization, scarcity, opportunity cost, and budgets.

    • Learning about goods, services, producers, consumers, resources, supply, demand, and international trade.

    American Culture:

    • Understanding core values and the influences of Native Americans, immigrants, and technology on American culture.

    *This is a one-semester course.

    Enrichment Classes - 2nd Grade

    At Arundel Christian School, our second-grade program offers diverse opportunities for growth in enrichment courses:

    • Spanish class introduces students to language and culture.

    • Music class explores rhythm, melody, and harmony.

    • Art class encourages creative expression.

    • Gym class promotes fitness, coordination, and teamwork.

    • Bible studies deepen understanding of faith and values.

    Through these classes, students receive a well-rounded education that fosters their interests, talents, and character for success in all areas of life.

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