What is Christian Education?

 

Christian education is distinctive in that it presents all subject areas in the context of God’s view of the world. When a student is taught from a Biblical worldview, by a teacher with a personal relationship with Jesus, the result is Christian Education. The student develops higher level thinking skills, character qualities, and a work/study ethic based on an understanding of what the Bible has to say about life. All of his life choices are made based on his understanding of the Bible and the plan God has for his life. Students are encouraged to develop their intellect to its fullest potential through cultivating the habits of mind that enable them to become lifelong learners. It is our desire that students who leave CCS will encounter and impact today’s culture with the ability to think Biblically, defend their faith and manage their personal and professional lives in a way that will bring honor to God.

 

What are the characteristics of a typical third grader?

 

The average third grader is explosive, excitable, dramatic and curious. He may have a bit of a “know it all” attitude, while at the same time may be self critical. A third grader is able to assume more responsibility for his actions and understand that behavior may have a consequence. He may, at times, undertake more than he can handle. He is starting to recognize the needs of others.

 

During this year, you can expect your third grader to:

 

· learn about choices and consequences

· learn how to work with others

· become aware of the relationships of feeling, goals and behaviors

· begin setting goals for himself

 

SPIRITUAL FORMATION
  

At CCS, our spiritual formation program is the most important thing we do.  Through daily chapel and classroom Bible instruction, we want to teach our students to know His Word, praise His name and grow daily as young believers.

 
CHAPEL
  

Students in grades 1-4 participate in Chapel every morning. This is an innovative Bible memory program using word studies, pictures and American Sign Language. Students delight in learning to sing contemporary Christian music. Students also memorize passages of Scripture each month and sections of the Shorter Catechism.

  
BIBLE
  
The life of Christ is studied with an emphasis on the book of Acts.  Third graders learn and apply principles from the messages, parables, miracles and life events of Jesus and learn about the activities of the early church and Paul’s missionary work.
  
SERVICE PROJECTS
  

Third grade students participate in class-specific and school-wide service projects designed to help them follow Biblical principles to serve others and benefit the community.  Some examples of previous service projects include campus clean-up, Thanksgiving baskets for a family in need, raising money for student desks and teacher salaries for an orphanage in Uganda, Christmas shoeboxes for needy children, and sending cards & letters to those serving in the armed forces.

  
MATH
  

Through the study of our number system with its exact, precise, reliable and logical nature, children are      provided a glimpse of our Creator. The Saxon Third Grade Math program provides a system of daily instruction, practice, and assessment to actively engage students in the learning  process.  Concepts are developed through hands-on math experiences and    concrete examples that help the   children develop abstract and higher-order thinking skills.  Topics include:

  

· Continued work with addition/subtraction with regrouping

· Mastery of multiplication facts 0-9

· Introduction to basic division concepts

· Comparing and ordering numbers to 1,000
· Understanding simple algebraic functions

· Recognizing geometrical shapes and linear segments

· Review of measurement skills

· Addition/subtraction of  fractions and mixed numbers		  
Resources and Textbooks
  

· Open Court Reading  & Writing

· Shurley English Level Three
· Saxon Math
· ABEKA Spelling
· Heritage Studies
· Discovery Works, Concordia Ed.

 
LANGUAGE ARTS

The goal of the Language Arts program is to teach students to enjoy the many avenues of communication available to them through reading, writing, speaking and listening. The students will understand that the ability to communicate with others and with God is part of the plan God has for them.
 

The emphasis in reading in third grade is shifting from learning to read to reading to learn. The highlights of the Third Grade Language Arts program are:

· Phonics review to improve phonemic awareness, oral fluency and decoding skills
· Use of strategies such as summarizing, comparing and contrasting, predicting, to increase comprehension skills
· Systematic instruction in grammar using the Shurley English program
· Exposure to a variety of quality children’s literature  through the reading texts daily read alouds and independent reading time
· Review of high frequency word lists
· Introduction of cursive handwriting
· Spelling is taught using word families and spelling patterns and tested via weekly assessments
· Creative writing opportunities
· Learning how to evaluate a story and apply Biblical principles

· Opportunities to develop listening and speaking skills through presentations to their classmates

 
SOCIAL STUDIES

Analyzing past and present events in history and identifying God’s purposes through them provides a perspective that will enable students to better affect their community and world as the Lord directs them through life.

Some of the units of study in second grade are:

· We The People

· The Fires of Freedon

· From Sea to Shining Sea

· The American Frontier

· The United States

· War Coming

· North Against the South

· Railroads
SCIENCE
The teaching of science at CCS is designed to reveal the glory of the Creator.  Students are taught that God is in all of science and all that takes place in nature is directly under the control of a sovereign God.
Third grade students explore some of these units in science:

· Life Cycles of Plants & Animals

· Sun, Moon, and Earth

· Roles of Living Things

· Earth’s Water
Field Trips and Special Events

· Frontier Festival

· Family Bonfire

· Battle of Olustee Reenactment

· Wakulla Springs

· Poetry Picnic in the Park