McKINNEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Where Faith Comes First

Bible

• Teacher directed Bible study with multi-sensory follow-up activities
• Praise and worship music
• Corporate prayer time
• Weekly chapel (frequent student performances)
• Weekly Scripture Memory

Language Arts

• Continues to develop fluency and comprehension
• Utilizes fiction and nonfiction selections which are organized into meaning-based learning units, each of which revolves around compelling concepts from across the curriculum
• Refines writing skills to communicate knowledge
• Pursues personal and collaborative inquiry through study and research, identification and accessibility to needed information as well as communication opportunity with classmates
• Self-selected novels (fantasy and historical fiction)
• Class novels (Island of the Blue Dolphins and From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler)
• Research Papers - integrated with Texas History and Island of the Blue Dolphins units
• Study Skills/Test Taking Skills
• Interactive writing journals
• Spelling lessons and games designed to teach spelling concepts and improve proficiency
• Vocabulary enrichment through a variety of vocabulary games and exercises
• Discussion groups
• Memorization of poetry
• Weekly reading logs
• The writing process (Prewriting through publishing)
• Grammar and mechanics
• Cursive writing
• Assignments are both reflexive and extensive
• Peer and teacher writing conferences

Math

• Systematically teaches math concepts through active participation
• Introduces problem-solving success through early exposure and continual practice of key math concepts and fundamental concept connections
• Exposes students to calendar, clock, money, measurement, calculators and computers
• Students analyze data, see patterns, explore mathematical relationships and number theory
• Continue working with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, place value, fractions, decimals, integers, ratios, proportions and percents
• Beginning Algebra
• Beginning Geometry
• Consistent connections between math and language
• Math vocabulary development

Typical Multi-sensory Activities:

• Computer games
• Geo Boards
• Chromebook technology for individualized and interactive learning
• Experiences with money
• Precision teaching for mastery of facts
• Board games designed to practice key math concepts and fine tune basic skills
• Mastery of facts
• Math centers emphasizing deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills

Social Studies

• Post-Civil War American history
• Ellis Island, Immigration and the numerous ways ethnic communities have shaped our nation today
• Cultural adjustments and benefits of diversity
• Industrial Revolution
• Early inventions and inventors that shaped America
• America’s economy
• Framework of our government
• Physical geography – hemispheres, globe lines, latitude/longitude, plotting coordinates, maps, map reading, landforms, world climate zones, and world time zones
• Texas geography - the regions of Texas
• Texas history from the early explorers through the Civil War
• The native Texans
• Texas’s Early explorers
• Early pioneers
• Texas Revolution
• Independence and the Republic of Texas
• Texas in the Civil War

Science

Science materials are designed to help students master appropriate science content and skills within the framework of a Biblical worldview.

• Exposes students to God's creation, forces and energy, the moon and oceans, the Earth, and the human body
• Activity-based, hands-on approach meets the NSES Category: “Science as Inquiry”
• Students learn to observe, manipulate, and explore the world around them
• Integrates real life applications

Typical Multi-sensory Activities:

• Class visits from neighborhood experts
• Field trips
• Hands-on experiments
• Observations and inquiries with microscopes

Co-Curricular Classes

• Music
• Spanish
• PE
• Library
• Art
• Technology