The Lower Elementary program at FCMA allows students to expand their knowledge in a wide range of academic subjects – building on the skills and social abilities that they developed in the Early Elementary (kindergarten and first grade) program. Academic subjects are integrated into a program designed to allow children to learn at their own pace. Freedom of movement, open work areas and uninterrupted blocks of time for individual and group projects help to support the 7-9 year old’s drive toward autonomy. Students are guided through a rich and challenging curriculum as they continue to work both individually, and in small groups. The program permits a variety of approaches using colorful manipulatives that make sense of abstract principles.
Practical Life
Care of Oneself
- Personal Hygiene
- Sewing
Care of the Environment
- Classroom Jobs
- Gardening
Grace & Courtesy
- Active Listening
- Manners
Skills Developing
- Organizational Skills
- Global Stewardship
- Leadership
- Reflection
- Sense of Responsibility
- Time Management
- Inner Discipline
Science
Great Lesson
- The Story of the Coming of Life
Physical Science
- States of Mater
- Solids
- Liquids-Water
- Gas-Air
- Processes of Attraction
- Gravity
- Simple Machines
Botany
- Story of Plants
- Needs of Plants
- Parts & Functions:
- Leaf
- Root
- Stem
- Flower
- Fruit
- Seed
- Research
- Observation & Care of Plants
- Gardening
- Nature Walks & Field Studies
Zoology
- The Five Kingdoms
- Animal Kingdom with Animal Story & Reference Books
- Vertebrate/Invertebrate
- Classification by Phylum & Class
- Research
- Observation & Care of Animals
- Nature Walks & Field Studies
Earth Science
- Layers of the Earth
- Plate Tectonics
- Parts of Volcanoes, Mountains, Rivers
- Land/Water Forms
- Rocks/Minerals
- Rock Cycle
Human Anatomy
- Parts of the Body
- Internal Organs
- Five Senses
- Nutrition
Ecology
- Recycling
Astronomy
Aviation
Scientific Process
Language
Great Lesson
- The Story of Language
Reading Comprehension
- Reading for Meaning & Content
- Story Elements
- Literature Circles
- Daily Individual Reading
- Reading Aloud
Grammar & Syntax
- Parts of Speech
- Word Study
- Sentence Analysis
- Dictionary & Thesaurus Usage
Written Composition
- Research Writing
- Creative Writing
- Story Writing
- Poetry Writing
- Letter Writing
- Journal Writing
Spelling & Mechanics
- Instructional Leveled Spelling
- Exposure to:
- Capital Letters
- Periods
- Question Marks
- Exclamation Points
- Quotes
- Commas
- Apostrophes
Spoken Language
- Presenting Oral Reports
- Sharing Stories & Poetry
History
Great Lesson
- The Story of Human Beings
Time
- Timeline of Life
- Earth History
- Black Strip
- Clock of Eras
- BC/AD Timeline
- Calendar
- Study of:
- Year
- Month
- Week
- Day
- Personal Timeline
- Past, Present, Future
- Clock Study
Human Studies
- Fundamental Needs of Humans
- Introduction to Various Civilizations & Cultures
- Appreciation for Human Contributions
- Origins of Holidays & Celebrations
- Understanding of Historical Time
- U.S. History
Mathematics
Great Lesson
- The Story of Numbers
Numeration
- Formation of Numbers
- Place Value to Millions
- Estimation and Rounding
Place Value
- Using Place Value to Represent Whole Numbers & Decimals
Whole Number Operations & Fact Memorization
Multiples & Factors
Squaring/Cubing
Measurement
- History/Intro
- Money
- Metric Measurement
- Customary Measurement
- Measuring Circles, Cylinders & Time
Fractions
- Fraction Concepts
- Operations with Fractions
- Decimal Fractions
- Money
Graphing
- Grids
- Picture Graphs
- Pie Graphs
- Tables
Problem-Solving Skills
- One Step w/ All Operations
- Multi-Step w/ Addition & Subtraction
- Word Problems with
- Money
- Time
- Place Value
- Numeration
- Estimation
Geometry
Great Lesson
- The Story of Geometry
- Concepts
- Point
- Line
- Surface
- Solid
- Similarity
- Congruency
- Equivalence
- Lines
- Angles
- Polygons
Geography
Great Lesson
- The Story of Our Universe
Solar System
- Planets
- Stars
- Constellations
- Relationship Between Sun & Earth
Composition of the Earth
- Layers of the Earth
- Land & Water Forms
- Formation of Mountains & Volcanoes
- Types of Rocks
Physical Geography
- Identifying
- Countries
- Cities
- Capitals
- Land & Water Features
- Making Maps
- Using an Atlas
- Researching & Presenting Information
Mathematics & Geometry
Numbers 1-10
- One to One Correspondence
- Numerical Names
- Quantity to Symbol
- Sequencing
- Writing Numbers
The Decimal System
- Place Value
- Using 0 as a Place Holder
- Exchanging
Operations and Math Facts
- Addition
- Multiplication
- Division
- Subtraction
Linear & Skip Counting
- Place Value
- Tens
- Teens
- Greater Than/Less Than
Supplemental Math:
- Fractions
- Time
- Money
- Graphing
Art & Music Appreciation
Art
Creative Expression
- Acquisition of Basic Skills:
- Drawing
- Painting
- Collage
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Mixed Media
- Artistic Interpretation
- Creation of:
- Two-Dimensional Art
- Three-Dimensional Art
Historical Understanding & Visual Culture
- Study of Various Artist
- Study of How Different Cultures Use Art
- Identify the Roles of Art Makers in Different Cultures & Times
Appreciation
- Individual Artist Studies
Music
- Rhythm
- Instrumental
- Vocal
- Music From Around the World
Appreciation
- Individual Composer Studies