Core Subjects

Senior Kindergarten

“Uncertainties were quickly dismissed as I observed my daughter over the first few weeks delight in her classmates, her work and in simply being allowed to be a kid.”parent

This program aims to start our youngest students on a lifelong educational journey that fills them with a sense of wonder of the world God has created.

Early exposure to good quality literature is foundational and so the children are read a wide variety of well-selected stories, fables, and fairy tales on a daily basis. The students are encouraged to narrate or retell the story and, in so doing, they learn to organize their thoughts and clearly articulate the knowledge gained through these books.

Rich language is further reinforced through poetry recitation, an enjoyable part of every day. They learn several poems throughout the year, for example “The Swing” and “Rain” by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In the Reading program they learn basic reading skills using phonetics.

The children use concrete materials as well as paper and pencil to develop their understanding of Math. They discover mathematical concepts such as patterns, geometry, measurement, counting and graphing through hands-on activities with the materials.

Outdoor Nature Study is an important part of the program. The aim is to engage all their senses, to increase their observational abilities, and to instill a deep regard for the wonder and beauty of creation.

The children are introduced to some of the world’s great works of art and every week they create their own “masterpieces” using different materials and techniques.

They also sing, listen to classical music and play simple instruments.

Their year is spent learning in an atmosphere of wonder and enjoyment that gives them a solid foundation for the next step in their education.

Grades 1 – 2

“For us St. Timothy’s has been an excellent alternative to home schooling, and an easy adjustment for our children.”parent

 

 

The Early Grammar stage is a time when students' minds are absorbent 
sponges. Memorization of poetry as well as learning facts about math,  history and science comes easily to students in Grade 1 and 2. At St. Timothy's we capitalize on this readiness to learn by providing  a rich foundational program of Language Arts, Math, History and Science.

In Language Arts Grade 1 students begin with a systematic phonics based program called Sing, Spell, Read and Write. Once they become  solid readers, students move into reading and discussing whole stories  and writing simple sentences. The Language Arts program for Grade 2  includes weekly spelling and grammar lessons and students quickly  become competent at identifying parts of speech as well as other  rudiments of grammar and punctuation. Small class sizes allow for  ample time with the teacher in reading circles around stories  carefully chosen for a good use of language, pleasing sentence  structure and interesting themes. Students learn to answer  comprehension questions with attention to meaning, correct spelling,  punctuation and good sentence structure. The teacher reads aloud  regularly from a lovely collection of fables, fanciful tales,  retellings of history as well as descriptions of the natural world.
Examples of poetry memorized at this stage are “A Prayer in Spring” by Robert Frost and “The Eagle” by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

In Math the A Beka program is used and students are introduced to foundational mathematical concepts, reinforced through many exercises and speed drills.

A four-year History program called Story of the World begins in this class; in Grades 1 and 2 the students walk through Ancient Times through to the Middle Ages, with readings and activities. 

In Science class the students study Earth Science one year – the Seasons, the layers of the earth, space and planets – and Life Science the next, covering trees and plants as well as reptiles, insects, birds, and finally mammals.  Sound-offs, study notes and worksheets all aid in their classical understanding of these subjects.

Grades 3 – 4

"As for Literature – to introduce children to literature is to install them in a very rich and glorious kingdom, to bring a continuous holiday to their doors, to lay before them a feast exquisitely served."Charlotte Mason

 

 

 

The Grade 3-4 curriculum builds upon the rich, foundational program of Language Arts, Math, History and Science introduced in Grade 1-2. There continues to be a strong emphasis on immersing students in works of good literature, the rudiments of grammar, and the skills necessary to produce excellent writing. Grade 3-4 students move from knowing how to write descriptive sentences to writing well-structured paragraphs and short essays. They begin to colour their phrases with adjectives, strong verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases and similes. St. Timothy’s students are taught to recognize metaphors and to understand conflict and character development as they read enduring literature.

Some of the novels that are studied by our grades 3 and 4 students include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.  Examples of poetry memorized at this stage are "Tyger, Tyger" by William Blake and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost.

Grade 3 students study Math every day with an emphasis on the acquisition of basic Math concepts through lessons, hands-on materials, Math fact charts, exercises, speed drills and regular review. In Grade 4 students transition to the Singapore Math program which continues to build understanding of new concepts as well as providing an emphasis on mental math and the steps involved in solving challenging word problems.

History is a favourite subject for many students at St. Timothy’s. The Grade 3 program emphasizes Early Modern History and the students present projects to the class about the challenges and contributions of early explorers in the New World. Grade 4 students learn to think historically as they think about the causes and circumstances that led to events in Modern History and the consequences and significance of those events.  Grade 3-4 students become familiar with vocabulary such as monarchy, parliament, democracy, dictator, tyranny, and revolution, and they begin to recognize patterns in history. Small class sizes encourage participation in discussion and confidence to present topics orally.

The Grade 3-4 Science program provides an introduction to basic Physics and Chemistry through weekly experiments. Units on Weather and the Human Body are also covered. The Grade 3-4 Geography program also provides a unit of study on the flora and fauna of Ontario.

Grades 5 – 8

“Most of all, perhaps, we need intimate knowledge of the past."C.S. Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students in this class are clearly moving into the Logic stage as they learn to ask questions, solve problems and argue reasonably. They are beginning to understand the meaning of the facts they have learned, even as they continue to build on this foundation of information. As part of this development, a class in Logic is introduced at the grade 7-8 level. This program is designed to train the students in the art of argumentation.

In Language Arts the students expand on their writing skills, as they apply the excellent grammar skills they have learned to the beginnings of creative writing. They are challenged to work within boundaries given by their teacher and use rich language as they express themselves, in silly stories, wild tales and beautiful descriptions. Weekly spelling tests continue to stretch their vocabulary as does the school's annual spelling bee. Samples of novels studied in this class include Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne and Homer's Odyssey. The students continue to memorize poetry choosing from a wide range presented to them.

The study of History at this level is a deeper, more thorough examination of the past. Our students return to ancient times and as they slowly make their way through the centuries they rely on primary sources and classic works such as Rosemary Sutcliffe's Black Ships Before Troy. The students engage in the geography, architecture, military battles and culture of the times.

The Science program is a hands-on exploration of botany and zoology, focusing on flying creatures . The students develop a nature journal of their observations, sketches, experiments, hands-on activities and facts learned. The students are enthusiastic participants in the growth of their own knowledge of and wonder in the natural world.

The students continue with the Singapore Math program, and the focus is to make sure the students understand, know and discover the beauty of elementary math. This program uses a classical approach, i.e. teaching the concept (the tools of math) and then guiding the students to apply it to very different situations. The students begin an excursion into pre-algebra and algebra, the introduction of new strategies in solving word problems as well as a more rigorous Geometry training. Challenging word problems for every grade give our students the opportunity to stretch their thinking and reasoning skills.