Living Books Curriculum Offers Eleven Core Areas of Study…
To help you visualize the content taught during each grade level, Living Books Curriculum created a scope and sequence for each area of study.
Living Books Curriculum’s scope and sequence denotes a particular subject’s content (the scope) and the order in which the material is presented (the sequence) within the curriculum. You can see this overview below…
Bible Study & Christian Faith Studies
The purpose of Bible study is to provide students with an introductory knowledge of the Old and New Testaments and an understanding of God’s work in the life of the Jewish nation through the stories of the principle people involved. The children show their understanding of this study by memorization, narration, and storytelling.
Discipleship is the purpose of Bible study. It is also the foundation of Living Books Curriculum. Beginning with Foundation Year, each grade has Scripture reading and memorization and a study of biographies (Heroes of the Faith). In Grade Three, students study Church History and begin “Practical Work.” Practical work is included as a means of applying the principles of discipleship that are learned.
Scope & Sequence
Foundation Year |
Understanding of the essential events of the Bible through story and scripture recitation. |
Grade One |
Scripturally-based devotionals, overview of the Bible, and scripture recitation and learning the names of God. |
Grade Two |
Introduction to Christian character qualities; Heroes of the Faith; devotions on worship. |
Grade Three |
Church History – Book of Acts; practical work; history’s greatest missionaries |
Grade Four |
Church History – Rise of Christianity, practical work, Heroes of the Faith – Middle Ages, and scripture reading and recitation according to Charlotte Mason’s PNEU syllabi. |
Grade Five |
Church History – Reformation, practical work, Heroes of the Faith – Renaissance and Reformation, and scripture reading and recitation according to Charlotte Mason’s PNEU syllabi. |
Grade Six |
Old and New Testament readings according to the schedule used by Charlotte Mason’s PNEU schools. Heroes of the Faith: Our Island Saints. Practical work |
Grade Seven |
Old and New Testament readings according to the schedule used by Charlotte Mason’s PNEU schools. Practical work. |
Grade Eight |
Complete plan begun in Grade Seven |
Mathematics
LBC offers mathematics in the Foundation Year, Grade One, and Grade Two. The mathematics plan does not include a workbook but rather concepts to be taught using simple objects around the home.
Scope & Sequence
Foundation Year |
Children are introduced to pre-arithmetic concepts with the books: Exactly the Opposite, Inch by Inch, Math Counts: Shape, Math Counts: Size, and Math Play: Eighty ways to count and learn. |
Grade One and Two |
Grades One and Two feature instruction in mathematic thinking and problem-solving. Actually the book, The Three R’s, that we have for these grade levels covers Grades 1 – 3, using playful activities and hands-on experience. |
Language Arts
Language arts entails communicating through writing, speaking, reading, and listening. All of the various subjects studied in language arts such as phonics, grammar, comprehension, handwriting, punctuation, and spelling are tools for effective reading, listening, writing, and speaking. The various subjects of language arts instruction assume their proper emphasis when we see them for what they are, simply tools to help children communicate well. This curriculum uses reading aloud, storytelling, and narration as teaching tools. It includes instruction in reading (phonics, letter recognition, etc.) and writing. It also provides essential experiences in orality (speaking and listening), which provides the foundation for lasting literacy.
Scope & Sequence
Foundation Year |
Pre-reading/writing Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation Bookmaking |
Grade One |
Reading aloud Reading instruction Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration Penmanship instruction Poetry |
Grade Two |
Practice reading Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration Penmanship instruction, copy work Poetry |
Grade Three |
Practice reading Oral language expression: storytelling, singing, recitation, narration Grammar (second half of the year), dictation, spelling Penmanship instruction, copy work Poetry Shakespeare Daily written narrations Creative writing activities |
Grades Four – Six |
Poetry exploration into poetry of each era studied in American and World History. Shakespeare Grammar—continued experiences in practice of good grammar through guides and written narrations. Daily written and oral narrations. Oral language expression—storytelling, recitation. Copy work Dictation/Spelling Journal Activities |
Grade Seven and Eight |
Poetry: Jabberwocky: Poetry for Junior High Studies Shakespeare—As You Like It (7) and Hamlet (8) Grammar—continued experiences in practice of good grammar through guides and written narrations. Lessons in composition begin in Grade Eight. Daily written and oral narrations. Oral language expression—storytelling, recitation. Copy work Dictation/Spelling Literature: Best-loved Literary Fairy Tales (7) and Best-loved Short Stories (8) |
Science
Foundation Year to Grade Three science curriculum addresses four major strands: Life, Physical, Earth, Health. Within these strands, we touch on eleven themes: plants, animals, ecology, matter, energy, technology, the Earth, weather, space, human body, and well-being.
Scope & Sequence
Foundation Year |
Colors and shapes; fine and gross motor skills; matter and energy, the Earth, the cosmos, and living things; George Washington Carver—a science biography. |
Grade One |
Basic scientific principles; plant reproduction; science in everyday living; five senses; Thomas Alva Edison—a science biography; the world of mountains, jungles, and deserts; sorting and classifying. |
Grade Two |
Plant growth and seasonal changes; human skeleton and names of the major bones of the body; extinction; nutrition; beginner geology; moon phases; energy forms; clouds and weather; ancient Egyptians in the field of science. |
Grade Three |
Natural world—from the flower to deep-sea creatures; Galen—a science biography; science behind flight; Archimedes—a science biography; electricity; weather. |
Grade Four |
Full year’s study of astronomy. |
Grade Five |
Principles of good health, introduction to physics, history and science of technology. |
Grade Six |
Story-book of Science covers biology, earth sciences,and physics. Additional biographies of scientists. |
Grade Seven |
Apologia’s Exploring Creation with General Science |
Grade Eight |
Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Physical Science. |
Nature Study
The purpose of nature study is to provide children ample time to experience and observe nature. Nature study, a key tool of learning, is basically spending time outdoors enjoying and looking at nature; learning plants, animals, and insects names; and studying the elements of their lifecycles. Children keep a nature journal and bring “treasures” in from outside to study further.
Art
Every year of Living Books Curriculum includes art instruction. Painting, drawing, sculpting, and craft-making build habits and life-long skills that add immeasurably to the fullness of adult life. By exploring artistic processes, children learn the elements of art: shape, color, form, line, and texture.
Picture Study
Picture study is the study of all types of art in order to appreciate and understand the artist and artistic process. By examining and discussing many works of art, children build a habit of enjoying art in a thoughtful way and develop an aesthetic sense for what is truly worthwhile and beautiful.
Composer Study
Music, like art, engages the child’s love of beauty. The Foundation Year music curriculum introduces children to music and movement by engaging them in singing, playing games that involve song, and listening to beautiful music. From Grade One through Eight, the children will explore the musical composers of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary periods, as well as Christian worship music. Each time period will include biographies of each of the composers studied.
American and World History
Knowledge of history is indispensable to learning and character development. History provides a chronological framework for understanding human endeavor and God’s providential action in the lives of men and women. It also readies students for later work in any thoughtful endeavor because they have a framework from which to work.
Living Books Curriculum history includes a study of American history and world history. World history covers the major historical periods of western and eastern civilizations and begins with creation. The typical approach to world history is to begin with the onset of recorded history (about 4000 BC). A great deal takes place in the two thousand years before we have documented historical artifacts. Drawing from Genesis and archaeological information, our curriculum gives a sense for the sweep of time and God’s hand in it.
Living Books Curriculum offers American history coursework each year (as opposed to introducing it in third or fourth grade) for the following reasons:
* It is critical for children to grow up knowing the history of our nation in-depth.
* Godly men and women founded the United States with a desire for freedom of worship and self-governance.
* Learning our nation’s history is essential to a full, participatory citizenship.
A full understanding of our role in the world today takes time. The American History curriculum extends from 1000 AD to the late 1900s in the first six years of coursework. We revisit these epochs in the following two years. The twentieth century is added in Grade Seven. By Grade Eight, students are studying primary documents of American life.
Scope & Sequence – World History
Grade One |
Ancient Civilizations |
Grade Two |
Ancient Egypt |
Grade Three |
Greece & Rome |
Grade Four |
Middle Ages |
Grade Five |
Renaissance and Reformation |
Grade Six |
Enlightenment to Modern Age |
Grade Seven and Eight |
Study of history from ancient times to the modern age, covered in a two-year period. |
Scope & Sequence – American History
Grade One |
Exploration & Colonial Period—1000-1775 |
Grade Two |
Birth of the Nation—1775-1789 |
Grade Three |
Growth of the Nation & Westward Expansion—1790 -1877 |
Grade Four |
Civil War and Reconstruction—1850-1865 |
Grade Five |
Industrialization and continued expansion—1865-1920 |
Grade Six |
Modern Age—1900-1970 |
Grade Seven and Eight |
Study of American history from the age of discovery to the modern age, covered in a two-year period. |
Geography
Living Books Curriculum geography begins with developing a spatial sense, knowledge of one’s home country, and familiarity with the seven continents. Children then develop an understanding of nation-states and people groups and their placement on the planet and recognize places and regions where historical events took place.
In Grade Four, mapping is introduced. Each year, students will focus on one or two continents. By Grade Eight, students will be able to recall a significant portion of the globe from memory.
Scope & Sequence
Foundation Year |
Familiarity with directions, maps, immediate surroundings |
Grade One |
Memorize the continents and oceans, map work, use of atlas |
Grade Two |
Relief maps, ancient Egypt, review of Grade One work |
Grade Three |
US States & capitals, regions; ancient Greece and Rome |
Grade Four |
Post-Roman Europe, Asia, South United States |
Grade Five |
Europe of the Renaissance, history of map making, historic places in nineteenth-century United States. |
Grade Six |
Global geography with Around the World in Eighty Days |
Grade Seven |
A Book of Discovery used to study explorations from the earliest times to the present age. Map work and Book of the Centuries used. |
Grade Eight |
Continued from Grade Seven |
Latin and Other Language Studies
Living Books Curriculum suggests Latin studies beginning in Grade Three or Four and recommends the award-winning Latin curriculum Latinae Christiana (www.memoriapress.com) We do not provide a Latin program because the decision to include a language is a highly individual one.
The study of Latin is encouraged for three reasons…
First, Latin teaches English better than English teaches English. Students will be able to understand English syntax and grammar far better with an understanding of Latin forms.
Second, Latin is the mother tongue of Western civilization – a language that incorporated the best ideas of the ancient Greeks, and which, after the conversion of Rome, put them into the service of Christian truth.
Third, the mental discipline Latin instills in students makes it the ideal foreign language to study because there is a high carry-over into other language studies. While Living Books Curriculum does not sell language instruction, but we do allow for it in planning for the week’s work.
