Academics(in this section)

The Grammar Stage

The Grammar Stage focuses on the broad acquisition of facts and on laying a foundation of knowledge. Grammar refers in this context to the simple, concrete facts and basic building blocks or fundamental rules that inform a subject, matter or exercise.

Grammar Stage students explore in simple and concrete ways the basic elements of reading, math, art, language and science. Memorization and simple observation in a rich environment, both of which come quite naturally and with delight at this stage, are maximized. Reading and being read to are at the heart of this stage as all students become fully fluent in reading and develop a love for stories, poetry, and the spoken and written word. The student becomes familiar with various parts of disciplines and future skills, in a basic but comprehensible way. The student’s developing intellect will more fully appreciate and synthesize the elements of this fact-focused stage as he grows in age and wisdom.

This is also the critical stage when students are learning how to go to school–they are learning how learning works:  what behavior and  conduct are expected, and what it means to be involved intellectually with a subject.

Community & Culture Night – Grammar Stage

Community & Culture Nights serve our entire school community of (parents, faculty and students) by creating a shared vision of what a Catholic, classical education means, and thus ensuring that Donahue Academy students are prepared to encounter Christ and pursue excellence in all things.  Our Community & Culture nights focus on each of the three foundational stages of the trivium and help outline what makes Donahue Academy so successful for so many students.  Below is an example of a C&C Night that features the Grammar stage:

Grammar Stage Curriculum

Developing Knowledge By Asking “What”

Lists of texts below are illustrative and not exhaustive.  Age-appropriate versions of certain works may be used.

Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Cognitive Taxonomy:  

Knowledge – Defined as recalling or remembering something without necrssarily understanding, using or changing it.

Skills:

Define, describe, identify, label, list, match, memorize, observe, point to, read, recite, recall, re-tell select, state.

Assessments: 

Terra Nova Tests (Begin in second grade)

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Cognitive Taxonomy:

Comprehension – Defined as understanding something that has been communicated without necessarily relating it to anything else.

Skills:

Alter, account for, annotate, calculate, change, convert, dictate, group, explain, generalize, give examples, illustrate, infer, interpret, paraphrase, review, summarize, and translate.

Assessments: 

Terra Nova Tests

First Grade

Ancient (Early Civilizations – Greece)

Third Grade

Medieval

Curriculum Texts:

History

  • The Story of Civilization, Vol. 1 (Ch. 1-17)

Memory and Poetry

  • Catholic Schoolhouse, Tour 1
  • Harp and Laurel Wreath:  Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum (Berquest)
  • I’m Glad (Anon)
  • Bird Talk (Fisher)
  • The Little Turtle (Lindsay)
  • The Swing (Stevenson)

Curriculum Texts:

History 

  • The Story of Civilization Vol. 2

Memory and Poetry

  • Catholic Schoolhouse, Tour 3
  • Harp and Laurel Wreath:  Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum (Berquist)
  • The Crocodile (Carroll)
  • For Want of a Nail (Traditional)
  • Cathc a Little Rhyme (Merriam)
  • The Village Blacksmith (Longfellow)

Literature

  • Book of Greek Myths (D’Aulaire)
  • Twelve Labors of Hercules (Riordan)
  • Aesop’s Fables (Pinkney)
  • A Bargain for Frances (Hoban)
  • Little Bear (Minarik)
  • The Velveteen Rabbit (Williams)
  • Frog and Toad Collection (Lobel)

Literature

  • Little House in Big Woods (Wilder)
  • Robin Hood (Stepping Stones)
  • Charlotte’s Web (White)
  • Castle in the Attic (Winthrop)
  • The Trumpeter of the Swan (White)
  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Verne)
  • The Moffats (Estes)
  • Knights and Castles Fact Tracker (Magic Tree House)
  • A Bear Called Paddington (Bond)

Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling

  • Reading Mastery SRA (including spelling) Grade 1

Handwriting, Grammar and Writing

  • Writing the Catholic Faith (Print)
  • Shurley Grammar 1
  • IEW

Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling

  • Reading Mastery SRA (including spelling) Grade 3

Handwriting, Grammar and Writing

  • Writing the Catholic Faith (cursive) – Practice
  • Shurley Grammar 3
  • IEW

Religion

  • Word of Life 1

Mathematics

  • Singapore Math 1

Science

  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)
    • Sound and light
    • Air and weather
    • Plants and animals

Religion

  • Word of Life 3

Mathematics

  • Singapore Math 3

Science

  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)
    • Motion and matter
    • Weather and climate
    • Structures of life

Latin

  • Our Father
  • Memory List (Catholic Schoolhouse)

Art/Music/Physical Education

  • Various

 

Latin

  • Blessing at meals
  • Memory List (Catholic Schoolhouse)

Art/Music/Physical Education

  • Various

 

 

Second Grade

Ancient (Greece-Rome)

Fourth Grade

Making of the Modern World

Curriculum Texts:

History

  • The Story of Civilization, Vol. 1 (Ch. 18-35)

Memory and Poetry

  • Catholic Schoolhouse, Tour 2
  • Harp and Laurel Wreath:  Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum (Berquist)
  • Where Go the Boats (Stevenson)
  • Bed in Summer (Stevenson)
  • The Furry Bear (Milne)
  • Animal Crackers (Morley)

Curriculum Texts:

History

  • The Story of Civilization, Vol. 3

Memory and Poetry

  • Catholic Schoolhouse, Tour 1
  • Harp and Laurel Wreath:  Poetry and Dictation for the Classical Curriculum (Berquist)
  • America for Me (Van Dyke)
  • The Fool’s Prayer (Sill)
  • George Washington (Benet)
  • Rhinoceros (Nash)

Literature

  • Junior Great Books Series 2
  • Vacation Under the Volcano (Osborne)
  • Viking Ships at Sunrise (Osborne)
  • The Knight at Dawn (Osborne)
  • The Hour of the Olympics (Osborne)
  • The Snow Queen (Anderson)
  • The Book of Virtues (Bennett)
  • The Chocolate Touch (Catling)
  • Pinocchio (Philpot)
  • Summer Reading:  Knights of the Round Table

Literature

  • Sarah Plain and Tall (MacLachlan)
  • Blue Fairy Book (Lang)
  • Strawberry Girl (Lenski)
  • Cricket in Times Square (Selden)
  • The Princess & the Goblin (MacDonald)
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Lewis)
  • Carry On Mr. Bowditch (Latham)
  • Prince Caspian (Lewis)
  • Swiss Family Robinson (Wyss)
  • Ivanhoe (Scott)
  • The Wright Brothers

Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling

  • Reading Mastery SRA (including spelling) Grade 2

Handwriting, Grammar and Writing

  • Writing the Catholic Faith (cursive)
  • Shurley Grammar 2
  • IEW

Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling

  • Reading Mastery SRA (including spelling) 4

Handwriting, Grammar and Writing

  • Writing the Catholic Faith (cursive) – Practice
  • Shurley Grammar 4
  • IEW

Religion

  • Word of Life 2

Mathematics

  • Singapore Math 2

Science

  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)
    • Solids and liquids
    • Pebbles, sand and silt
    • Insects and plants

Religion

  • Word of Life 4

Mathematics

  • Singapore Math 4

Science 

  • Full Option Science System (FOSS)
    • Energy
    • Soil, rocks and landforms
    • Environments

Latin

  • Prayer: Our Father
  • Memory List (Catholic Schoolhouse)

Art/Music/Physical Education

  • Various

Latin

  • Memory List (Catholic Schoolhouse)

Art/Music/Physical Education

  • Various