Mission, Vision, Competencies, Standards, and Benchmarks

MISSION, VISION, COMPETENCIES, 

STANDARDS, AND BENCHMARKS 

A Statement of Curriculum 

CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 

Edyth B. Lindner Campus 

Otto Armleder Memorial Education Center 

Founders’ Campus 

Martha S. Lindner Campus 

2019 Edition

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

MISSION, VISION, CORE VALUES, and PROMISE STATEMENT 

INTRODUCTION: THE CHCA CURRICULUM 

CORE COMPETENCIES: MAPPING SKILLS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 

CURRICULAR PROGRAM AREAS 

CHRISTIAN STUDIES 

Christian Studies Representatives: K. Salkil, L. Conroy, L. Anderson, C. Hassman 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 

English Language Arts Representatives: M. Barron, A. Sanderson, P. Dinkelacker, C. Acheampong 

MATHEMATICS 

Mathematics Representatives: H. Snell, J. Williams, N. Anderson, E. Briggs 

SCIENCE 

Science Representatives: M. Parcell, J. Robbins, H. Getter, A. McKittrick 

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Social Studies Representatives: D. Baker, K. Woock, N. Isenberg, S. Ellis 

WORLD LANGUAGES: 

SPANISH, MANDARIN CHINESE, CLASSICAL LANGUAGES 

World Language Representatives: C. Bailey, T. Slaughter, N. Pinilla-Foster 

HEALTH 

Health Representatives: K. Gilbert, T. Sakelos, H. Getter, S. Zwarg, A. McKittrick 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Physical Education Representatives: S. Zwarg, T. Sakelos 

MUSIC FINE ARTS 

Music Fine Arts Representatives: D. Grantham, A. Hartman, K. Cassity, J. Rhodes 

VISUAL FINE ARTS 

Visual Fine Arts Representatives: A. Eberhardt, G. Varner, T. Hilderbrand, M. Feltman 

TECHNOLOGY 

Technology Representatives: A. Cool, D. Fields, J. Rice 

INFORMATION LITERACY 

Information Literacy Representatives: D. Barghini, M. Wright, S. Hall, A. Smith 

Back to Table of Contents

Our Mission 

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy is a Christ-centered, multi-denominational, college preparatory 

academy that exists to prepare students intellectually and spiritually for success in higher education and 

beyond, and to impact and influence the world according to their unique gifts and talents. This will be 

accomplished by: 

1. Creating an environment that encourages students, faculty, staff and families to develop and live out 

their relationship with Jesus Christ. 

2. Developing a passion for lifelong learning that leads to thoughtful, effective service through excellent, 

intentional curriculum and extra-curricular offerings. 

3. Empowering outstanding Christian faculty and staff to fully use their passions and expertise to create 

engaged critical thinkers. 

4. Fostering an exceptional environment that develops students’ gifts and talents in the arts, athletics, 

leadership, and additional extra-curricular opportunities for God’s purposes. 

5. Building an engaged school community – encompassing faculty, staff, students, families, alumni, and 

donors – that reinforces the school’s vision, mission and core values. 

Our Vision 

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy will unleash each student’s God-given gifts through Christ-centered 

academic excellence. We are devoted to developing the whole person, and instilling a lifelong passion for 

learning, leading and serving. 


Our Core Values 

CHRIST-CENTEREDNESS: 

We believe in following how Christ himself led, served, taught, loved, and lived; we strive to base all we do 

on His word. 

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: 

We believe in reflecting we are an academy of learning. It is our primary, but not exclusive, goal to 

prepare our students academically for college and beyond. 

WHOLE PERSON: 

We believe in recognizing all are gifted by God in unique ways. We believe in developing all forms of 

spiritual, intellectual, artistic, and athletic gifts in each student to their fullest potential. 

SERVANT LEADERSHIP: 

We believe in the power of servanthood. Servant leadership will be taught, modeled, and encouraged to all 

students, staff, and families, so that all are equipped for the situations in life when God calls them to lead. 

OUTREACH/SERVICE: 

We believe in modeling Christ in all we do. We will provide opportunities daily and through special events 

for students, staff, and families to share Christ’s love through service and witnessing to others. 

STEWARDSHIP: 

We believe in acknowledging that we are blessed in many ways. We as a school will model strong fiscal 

stewardship and will encourage, train, and expect students, staff, and families to be wise and generous 

stewards over their time, talents, and money. 

VALUE OF EACH PERSON: 

We believe in the Value of Each Person: Demonstrating biblical equality, we will embrace each individual 

as a distinct creation of God, ensure an emotionally, socially, and physically safe and nurturing 

environment, and intentionally enroll a student body, faculty, and staff who reflect the socioeconomic and 

racial make-up of the community in which we live. 

VIBRANT SENSE OF COMMUNITY: 

We believe in acting intentionally. We will foster a vibrant, connected culture of empathy, fellowship, and 

respect among students, staff, and parents. 

ACCOUNTABILITY: 

We will hold ourselves and each other to the highest standards of integrity, excellence, and constant 

measurable improvement. 

JOYFUL SPIRIT: 

We believe in having an attitude of gratitude for God’s blessings that are lived out in everyday smiles, 

laughter, and by celebrating demonstrated character and unique achievements. This results in a 

contagious joy that connects at the heart level. 

(CHCA Board Approved 8/2007) 


Our Promise Statement 

Centered in the shared love of Christ, 

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy is the college-preparatory, 

preschool through grade 12 independent school 

that inspires and challenges students to discover, hone, 

and steward their one-of-a-kind gifts 

as they come to know themselves as distinct 

and unconditionally loved creations of God. 

CHCA’s vibrant, multi-denominational family of learners 

creates a sheltering—but not sheltered— 

environment where, supporting each other and guided 

by expert Christian teachers, 

students wrestle with increasingly complex, 

timeless, essential questions in order 

to strengthen their minds and their faith. 

Beginning with the end in mind, CHCA graduates 

young adults fully prepared to succeed in college and beyond; 

to engage effectively and lovingly with different cultures, 

viewpoints, and ideas; and to achieve significant impact 

and influence with discerning wisdom, courageous curiosity, 

and resilient Christian faith— 

where others pull back, they lean into life. 


Introduction: The CHCA Curriculum 

The CHCA Curriculum Council presents this Statement of Curriculum as the fourth 

edition of the original document. In keeping with our earlier curriculum work, and with the goal of 

ensuring “meaningful, effective, and engaging” instruction, our Statement of Curriculum provides 

the overarching framework for instruction and assessment in twelve broad subject areas. Each 

subject’s curricular focus includes four components: Vision—each department’s narrative 

statement of guiding principles and philosophy, aligned with the Mission and Vision of the 

school. Standards—the broadest statements of content and curricular themes, these overarch 

and unify the PK-12 scope and sequence within each discipline. Benchmarks—more specific 

content milestones beneath the broader standards that our students engage by the end of lower 

school at grade 6, and by the end of upper school at grade 12. On the whole, our Standards and 

Benchmarks represent the substance of meaningful and effective instruction, and they guide our 

assessments of student progress—from daily formative checks for emerging understanding to 

the summative assessments that form the capstones of class experiences. 

To match substance with form, this current edition includes a new section for each 

curricular area—core Competencies. While Standards and Benchmarks will often outline 

broadly what concepts are covered by the teacher, the Competencies seek to answer critical 

questions of student engagement: “What am I taking away from this class? What skills am I able 

to transfer from one class to the next, and even outside the classroom context? What 

processes, skills, and habits of thinking am I mastering at CHCA?” 

Like our existing Standards, the core Competencies identified here are overarching. 

They are essential, transferrable skills that our students refine throughout their PK-12 journey. 

Unlike the Standards, they are not necessarily subject-specific. Competencies may cut across 

multiple disciplines, including vital theological connections, indicating the numerous ways in 

which students work to transfer those skills from class to class. 

Our competencies fall into five broad, cross-curricular skill categories: 

‣ Gathering Data and Evidence: What facts are relevant to what I am studying? What 

vocabulary do I need in order to engage this topic? What does our data mean? Which 

sources are most credible? 

‣ Thinking Critically within the Disciplines: What does it mean to play musically and 

with ensemble? How do we understand “proof?” What steps are necessary to solve this 

problem? What does the author of this text assume? 

‣ Communicating within the Disciplines: What is the artist “saying?” What makes my 

presentation effective? Why does genre matter? 

‣ Constructing Meaning & Building Connections: Where have we seen this before? 

How is this system similar to systems in other contexts? To what extent is this model 

consistent with a Christ-centered ethic? 

‣ Life Skills: What should I do when I get stuck? How do I know when I’m finished? When 

is this “good enough?” What happens if I mess this up? What about me, and about those 

around me, would change if I truly understood the love of God in my life? 


Together, our Vision Statements, Competencies, Standards, and Benchmarks articulate the 

what as well as the how and why of teaching and learning at CHCA. They speak to the nexus of 

our core values of Christ-centeredness, Academic Excellence, and the Whole Person, inasmuch 

as these converge in our classrooms to produce fruit in the lives of our students in due season. 

With that end in mind, teachers in all subject areas work toward a common set of goals: By 

close of grade 12, can CHCA students… 

…utilize available resources and technology tools to gather data and construct meaning? 

…explain and accurately articulate academic concepts and themes? 

…clearly articulate the purpose and meaning behind what they are studying? 

…engage essential questions within each discipline, and raise their own questions? 

…discover and evaluate facts, observations, and underlying assumptions within each 

discipline? 

…make relevant, logical inferences about what they are studying based on available data? 

…articulate meaningful, logical connections between disciplines? 

…respectfully engage differing points-of-view and empathize with others? 

…revisit, rethink, and revise their own thinking to build newer and deeper understandings? 

…expand their creativity and refine their skill in multiple forms of expression? 

…grow their problem-solving potential when the “right answers” are not obvious? 

…learn from failure as well as from success while building a growth mindset? 

…experiment, take positive risks, and build resilience? 

…engage the world around them while viewing it through the lens of biblical truth? 

And so we seek to challenge our students to grow in wisdom, in character, and in strength, and 

to see the world around them more clearly through the eyes of faith. 

Finally, a word of special thanks is in order. This curricular work would be impossible without the 

earlier leadership and vision of Karen Smeltzer. For many years as our beloved Academic 

Dean, Karen’s dedication to rigorous academics, her passion for challenging, Christ-centered 

education, guided instruction and assessment at CHCA. As she challenged us with pedagogical 

best practices and led us to deeper automaticity in navigating academic frameworks, we are 

forever indebted to her meticulous efforts as we build here on the work she has gifted to us. I 

would also like to thank all of the CHCA faculty from the 2017-2018 school year. Our Curriculum 

Council members took the lead in brainstorming with departments and recording revisions, yet it 

was the thoughtful, collaborative effort of all our teachers working together across divisions that 

made this current edition possible. 

Thus, we are very pleased to present this Statement of Curriculum. Honoring the foundational 

academic work of earlier years, we look ahead to the challenge of preparing our students for all 

that God is calling them to be in the years to come. 

Kris Gilbert, 

May 2018 


Core Competencies: 

Mapping Skills Across Subject Areas 

Gathering Data and Evidence 

Information Fluency: Awareness of Genre (InfoLit, ELA, CS) ▪ Information Fluency: 

Evaluating the reliability of sources (InfoLit, ELA, SS) ▪ Information Fluency: Library 

Organization (InfoLit) ▪ Asking questions and defining problems (Sci) ▪ Obtaining, 

evaluating, communicating information (Sci) ▪ Research & Information Fluency (SS, 

Tech) ▪ Media Fluency (SS) ▪ Acquire information into diverse world perspectives (WL) ▪ 

Theological Thinking (CS) ▪ Thinking Compassionately (CS) ▪ Reading: Reading 

Processes (ELA) ▪ Writing: Processes &Strategies (ELA) ▪ Ensemble (MFA) ▪ Awareness 

of Art Contexts (VFA) ▪ Craftsmanship (VFA) ▪ Library Organization (InfoLit) ▪ Reason 

abstractly and quantitatively (Math) ▪ Attend to precision (Math) ▪ Look for and make 

use of structure (Math) ▪ Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning (Math) ▪ 

Tactical Thinking (PE) ▪ Asking questions and defining problems (Sci) ▪ Mathematics 

and computational thinking (Sci) ▪ Historical Thinking (SS) ▪ Awareness of Time, 

Continuity, & Change (SS) ▪ Geographical Awareness (SS) ▪ Citizenship (SS) ▪ Economic 

Awareness and Financial Literacy (SS) ▪ Fluency in Technological Operations and 

Concepts (Tech) ▪ Awareness of world languages and cultures (WL) ▪ Insight into diverse 

world perspectives (WL) ▪ 

Communicating within the Disciplines 

Articulating/knowing the nature of God and humanity (CS) ▪ Articulating 

nature/movement of Scripture (CS) ▪ Writing processes and strategies (ELA) ▪ Speaking 

& Listening: Presentation (ELA) ▪ S&L: Active Listening and Discussion (ELA) ▪ 

Craftsmanship (VFA) ▪ Communication about, and using art (VFA) ▪ Model with 

mathematics (Math) ▪ Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others 

(Communication: Argumentation) (Math) ▪ Look for and express regularity in repeated 

reasoning (Exploring Patterns) (Math) ▪ Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating 

information (Sci) ▪ Communication and Collaboration (SS, Tech) ▪ Communicate in 

more than one language (WL) ▪ 


Core Competencies: 

Mapping Skills Across Subject Areas 

(continued) 

Constructing Meaning & Building Connections 

Theological Integration (All) ▪ Interpretation and Application of Scripture (CS) ▪ 

Develop Christian worldview and its implications on vocation and life (Christian 

Worldview) (CS) ▪ Reading: Making Literary and Theological Connections (ELA) ▪ 

Reading: Application of Strategies (ELA) ▪ Writing: Application of GUM (ELA) ▪ 

Relationships (Building Music Connections Across Disciplines; Theological and Faith 

Connections) (MFA) ▪ Ensemble (MFA) ▪ Creativity and Artistic Interpretation (MFA, 

VFA) ▪ Building Arts Connections Across Disciplines (VFA) ▪ Experimentation and 

Problem-Solving (VFA) ▪ Inquiry-based Research (Information Fluency) (InfoLit) ▪ 

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them (Problem-Solving) (Math) ▪ 

Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (Communication: 

Argumentation) (Math) ▪ Model with mathematics (Math) ▪ Use appropriate tools 

strategically (Math) ▪ Making Theological Connections in Mathematics (Math) ▪ Physical 

Well-being (PE) ▪ Social & Emotional Well-being (PE) ▪ Spiritual Well-being (PE) ▪ 

Developing and using models (Sci) ▪ Planning and carrying out investigations (Sci) ▪ 

Analyzing and interpreting data (Sci) ▪ Constructing Explanations and Designing 

Solutions (Sci) ▪ Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information (Sci) ▪ Building 

Language Connections across Disciplines(WL) ▪ 

Life Skills 

Reflection (CS) ▪ Compassion (CS) ▪ S&L: Collaboration Fluency (ELA) ▪ Etiquette 

(MFA) ▪ Emotional Well-being (Health) ▪ Positive Life Choices (Health) ▪ Christcentered 

Awareness of Self (Health) ▪ Safety and Ethics (InfoLit) ▪ Make sense of 

problems and persevere in solving them (Problem-Solving) (Math) ▪ Collaboration and 

Mutual Respect (PE) ▪ Communication and Collaboration (SS) ▪ Citizenship (SS) ▪ 

Digital Citizenship (Tech) ▪ Creativity and Innovation (Tech) ▪ Problem-solving and 

decision making (Tech) ▪ Resilience ▪ 


Vision 

Christian Studies 

At the heart of our Christian faith is the belief that the triune God is a personal God who reveals Himself 

to humanity through Scripture, His nature, His redemptive purpose in history, and His love for all 

creation. Central to this faith is the crucified and risen Jesus Christ and our knowledge and belief that 

the son of God became human so that we could be forgiven and restored to God. It is our conviction 

that in understanding the incarnate God we come to know our own nature and purpose, for we are 

created in God’s image. Given these core convictions, the Christian Studies curriculum studies Scripture 

to hear God’s truth, encourages a love of learning and the exercise of reason, gains wisdom from the 

historic voices and traditions of the Church, and seeks to understand our own human experience within 

this world. The Socratic nature of our classes make them a practical laboratory for discussing and 

developing their faith in a safe environment. The goals of this curriculum are therefore to (i) allow 

students to articulate a distinctly Christian worldview, (ii) develop the student holistically, and (iii) 

encourage students to pursue excellence in order to engage God’s world. 

Content Standards 

Students explore the following broad content 

themes and topics: 

❖ God’s purpose in restoring humanity and 

creation into right relationship and 

humanity’s participation in building the 

Kingdom of God. 

❖ The role and value of Scripture, reason, 

tradition, and experience in theologically 

forming a Christian worldview. 

❖ The triune God: God the Father, God the 

Son, God the Holy Spirit. 

❖ The unique Nature of Christ as fully 

divine and fully human 

❖ The nature of humanity as made in the 

image of God yet fallen. 

❖ God’s redemptive work through Christ 

for salvation. 

❖ The importance of spiritual formation 

through classic spiritual disciplines 

including prayer, meditation, 

fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, 

submission, service, confession, worship, 

guidance and celebration. 

❖ The relevance of Church history and 

historical theology in the formation of 

faith and appreciation for the diversity 

of God’s Kingdom. 

Core Competencies 

Students work to master the following 

overarching skills: 

❖ Think theologically and critically 

❖ Interpretation of Scripture 

❖ Application of Scripture 

❖ Develop Christian worldview 

❖ Reflection on Self & God’s World 

❖ Spiritual Formation 


Breakdown of Competencies 

Competency: Theological Thinking 

Description: Students develop the tools to articulate the movement and nature of Scripture, 

as well as the role of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience for informing a Christian 

worldview that aids in shaping and engaging their own culture. 

Essential Questions: 

‣ What is "proof?" When does proof help our faith? When does it get in the way? 

‣ How do we engage our minds as well as emotions to understand God's Nature and 

Character? 

‣ How do our unique spiritual experiences inform our understanding of God? 

‣ What is the role of the institution of church in aiding the formation of our religious 

worldview? 

‣ In what ways does our understanding of the Nature of God inform our connection with 

contemporary culture? 

Core Understandings: 

Students will understand that… 

‣ Developing and articulating faith requires us to engage our minds as well as our 

hearts, and that study can be a means to move closer to God and deepen a 

relationship with Him and with those around us. 

Competency: Interpretation of Scripture 

Description: Students explain the tools and steps in the responsible reading and 

interpretation of Scripture. 


‣ What does it mean to understand the world of the text interpretation? 

‣ What unique individual perspectives do I bring to the text as a reader? 



‣ We have to understand the "world of the text" before we can understand how to apply it in the 

world of the present. 

Competency: Application of Scripture 

Description: Students explain the tools and steps in the responsible application of Scripture 

to life. 


‣ What is God’s message in this text for me in the present? What do I do with this in the 

now? How is this the same as/different from the Word’s meaning to the original audience? 

‣ How do I live this out? 




‣ While situations may differ through each time period, Scriptural text speaks to and should 

inform our actions in the world right now. 

Competency: Christian Worldview Formation 

Description: Students work to develop a Christian worldview, but also wrestle to show how 

this is lived out in real life and in action. 


‣ How is a Christian worldview different from the current culture’s worldview? 

‣ How do I live this out? 

‣ In what ways does our understanding of the Nature of God inform our connection with 

contemporary culture? 



‣ A Christ-centered worldview is not the “norm,” the post-modern perspective put forward by 

the world today. 

‣ There are absolutes that do not depend on individual experience or opinion. 

Competency: Reflection on Self and the World 

Description: Students are challenged to think deeply about themselves, who they are in 

Christ, and their place in the world. 


‣ What’s my motivation toward service? 

‣ How am I created as a unique being? How can I be true to the person God is making me 

to be? 

‣ How “determined” is my life? 

‣ What does it look like to OWN my faith in Christ? How can I be genuine in my faith and 

true to who I am at the same time? 



‣ We are created uniquely in the image of God, and the way we relate to the world around 

us flows from that understanding. 

‣ It is for them to OWN a genuine faith in Christ that informs their lives. 


Competency: Spiritual Formation 

Description: Students move from basic identification of Scripture to a practical, experiential 

ways of identifying God’s working in their lives. 


‣ What changes if I really get that God loves me? ...if I get that God is actively pursuing 

me? What’s at stake? 

‣ How is prayer effective? 

‣ What do I need to do to experience God’s presence in my life? 

‣ How is what I’m experiencing helping me see God more clearly? 



‣ God loves and pursues us relentlessly and on a personal level. 

‣ There are a multitude of spiritual practices that are available to us that can help us 

experience God in deeper ways. 

Benchmarks 

By close of grade 6, Lower School students will: 

‣ Identify major groupings and key characteristics of the biblical narrative: patriarchs, 

matriarchs, judges, kings, prophets, and apostles. 

‣ Recognize the contribution persons within these groupings made to the biblical narrative. 

‣ Recount in speaking and writing the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. 

‣ Apply to one’s own life lessons biblical characters learned from their experience 

with God. 

‣ Relate from the Bible and one’s own life examples demonstrating God’s loving, generous, 

forgiving, and creative nature. 

‣ Write age-appropriate prayers of thanks, worship, petition, and intercession. 

‣ Locate books of the Bible. 

‣ Participate in service and outreach projects. 

‣ Find Bible verses and terms using a Bible dictionary and concordance. 

‣ Articulate the religious significance of major Christian holidays and seasons. 

‣ Study great Christian men and women of history from different denominations in the 

Christian family. 

‣ Memorize correlated and topic-related biblical passages. 

‣ Gain an in-depth understanding of the Life of Christ as expressed through the 

New Testament Gospels. 

‣ Articulate God’s desire to have relationship with humanity by His interaction with it from 

creation through the life of Christ. 


By close of grade 12, Upper School students will: 

‣ Articulate God’s plan of salvation. 

‣ Articulate content and meaning of Christian faith in his/her life. 

‣ Set biblical text in historical context and apply truth of Scripture to his/her life. 

‣ Recognize and discuss the broad scope of structure and historical sequence of the 

Bible’s story. 

‣ Trace the biblical development of the church from the New Testament book of Acts 

through the Church today as an expression of God’s desire to have relationship 

with humanity. 

‣ Explore His creation and His word to see it as revealing God’s nature. 

‣ Gain an appreciation for the Bible as a source of wisdom, practical for everyday life. 

‣ Locate major sites of the biblical world using historical maps. 

‣ Use a Bible dictionary to deepen his/her understanding of Scripture. 

‣ Understand the literary and historical contexts of biblical texts 

‣ Explain how the Bible was put together, transmitted, and preserved throughout the 

centuries 

‣ Apply critical thinking principles to Christian thought, actions, and ethics 

‣ Articulate the role and value of Scripture, reason, tradition and experience in theologically 

forming a Christian world view. 

‣ Express theologically the Christian faith’s core doctrines and practices including: 

The Nature of God; The Nature and Uniqueness of Christ; The Nature of Scripture; 

The Nature of Humanity; The Nature of Salvation; Spiritual Formation; The History 

of Christianity; and Praxis: Ethics and Service. 

‣ Explain the genres, major plot line, characters, and themes in Scripture with a sensitivity 

to God’s covenantal relationships with humanity. 

‣ Explain and have experienced the classic Christian spiritual practices including prayer; 

meditation; fasting; study; simplicity; solitude; submission; and service. 

‣ Explain the relevance of Church history and historical theology in the formation of faith 

and appreciation for the diversity of God’s Kingdom. 

‣ Explain the tools and steps in the responsible reading and interpretation of Scripture and 

its application to life. 

‣ Explain the relationship between faith and culture and how faith and theological ideas can 

be explored through cultural mediums such as literature and media and demonstrate 

critical thinking skills in order to engage such mediums in a thoughtful, theological and 

relevant manner. 



English Language Arts 1 

Throughout a CHCA Language Arts education, students will develop a lifelong pursuit of learning while 

exploring their God-given gifts in reading, thinking, writing, and speaking to engage in the diversity of 

human experience, culture, and values. Inherent in this pursuit is the necessity of integrating theological 

concepts when evaluating works through diverse lenses. Throughout the Language Arts program, students 

will develop analytical skills equipping them to use articulate language as scholars and citizens. 

Consequently, students will engage competently in a variety of experiences to demonstrate clarity, logic, 

persuasiveness, and creativity, including the development of research-based skills using relevant 

technology. In all, CHCA strives to develop Christian leaders who read, write, think, and speak with 

confidence and precision in a variety of situations. 

Content Standards & Core Competencies 

Reading 

‣ Reading Processes 

‣ Literature and Theology Connections 

‣ Application of Strategies 

Writing 

‣ Application of Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics 

‣ Use, Style, and Rhetoric 

‣ Information Fluency 

Speaking and Listening 

‣ Presentation 

‣ Active Listening and Discussion Skill 

‣ Collaboration Fluency 

1 

CHCA derives its English Language Arts curriculum in part from the following: the National Governor's Association and Council of 

Chief State School Officers international benchmarking work to produce the common core standards in English Language 

Arts http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf Standards produced by the National Council of Teachers 

of English and the International Reading Association http://www.ncte.org/standards. Skills tested on standardized tests including the 

Stanford Achievement Test grades 1-8, the Educational Record Bureau Comprehensive Test grades 1-8, the 

PLAN, ACT, PSAT, SAT, and College Board Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and English Literature and 

Composition examination. 



Competency: Reading—Reading Processes 

Description: Students work to build mastery in the general skills and strategies of the 

reading process. 


‣ Why is reading necessary? 

‣ How can we become readers who fully comprehend the text? 

‣ How does reading affect who we are and what we become in a multi-cultural 

world? 



‣ Reading is relevant and valuable to a meaningful life. 

‣ Reading leads to increased knowledge across all disciplines. 

‣ Reading skills and strategies change based on types of text. 

Competency: Reading—Literature and Theology Connections 

Description: Students work to demonstrate familiarity with a variety of literary works of 

enduring quality and increasing complexity including the truth of Scripture and its influence on 

literary forms and themes. 


‣ What makes text meaningful and enduring? 

‣ How does environment impact worldview? 

‣ How does God speak to people through stories and literature? 



‣ Works of enduring quality and varying complexity often express universal aspects 

of the human condition. 

‣ Reading expands understanding of God's world, its people, and oneself leading to 

a greater sense of empathy and respect. 

‣ Recognizing and analyzing genre is essential to understanding literary themes. 


Competency: Reading—Application of Strategies 

Description: Students work to build mastery in applying reading strategies to learn from 

literature and specific types of informational texts. 


‣ What are readers thinking about as they read? 

‣ What connections do readers make and how do they make them? 

‣ How do different types of texts challenge readers to prepare for and 

persevere through reading? 



‣ A variety of reading strategies is necessary in order to engage with a text. 

‣ Readers can use knowledge from one text to build understanding for another text. 

‣ Competency in reading requires a deep engagement with a text. 

Competency: Writing—Processes and Strategies 

Description: Students work to build mastery and confidence in the general skills and 

strategies of the writing process including narration, exposition, and argument. 


‣ What makes writing worth reading? 

‣ How can writing reflect a Christian worldview? 

‣ How do I improve my writing through reflection and revision? 



‣ Exemplary writing is a multi-step process, the result of reflection and revision. 

‣ Writers compose texts for different audiences and various purposes. 

‣ Making corrections is how we learn from our mistakes and improve our writing. 


Competency: Writing—Application of Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics 

Description: Students work to build mastery in writing with a command of the grammatical 

and mechanincal conventions of Standard Edited American English. 


‣ Why are rules in writing important, and when is it okay to break the rules? 

‣ How does the way I present my work and ideas affect how they are perceived? 

‣ How can language reflect the beauty and underlying order of creation? 



‣ Common standards of grammar and mechanics promote a framework for 

understanding. 

‣ A writer's voice is predicated upon his/her use of grammatical and mechanical 

conventions. 

‣ Good ideas can be accepted or dismissed based on how they are presented. 

Competency: Writing—Use, Style, and Rhetoric 

Description: Students work to build mastery and confidence in the stylistic and rhetorical 

aspects of writing. 


‣ How do I find my voice as a writer? 

‣ How does word choice affect meaning? 

‣ Why should I vary sentence patterns and constructions? 



‣ There can be a difference between writing that is correct and writing that is 

compelling. 

‣ A writer's authentic voice can be captivating in all genres. 

‣ A varied vocabulary creates interest. 


Competency: Writing—Information Fluency 

Description: Students work to build mastery in gathering, evaluating, and using information 

from a variety of sources for research and communication purposes. 


‣ Why do we ask questions? 

‣ Why is information organized in different ways? 

‣ How do I know what information to believe? 



‣ People rely on a variety of resources to obtain information. 

‣ Knowing when to consult an expert can be the difference between good and great 

work. 

‣ Not all sources of information are equally useful or credible. 

Competency: Speaking and Listening—Presentation 

Description: Students work to build mastery and confidence in speaking and presenting. 


‣ How does my ability to speak affect my ability to lead and to serve? 

‣ What role does nonverbal language play in communication? 

‣ Why are some words more powerful than others? 



‣ Effective communication enhances leadership and service. 

‣ Multiple factors play an essential role in effective communication. 

‣ Words have power. 


Competency: Speaking and Listening—Active Listening and Discussion Skill 

Description: Students work to build mastery in developing and exhibiting skills in active 

listening and discussing. 


‣ How is listening more than hearing? 

‣ How can communication affect human relationships? 



‣ Skills in listening and discussing are critical for learning and communicating. 

‣ Communication shapes relationships. 

Competency: Speaking and Listening—Collaboration Fluency 

Description: Students work to build mastery in participating effectively in a range of 

interactions to communicate and collaborate. 


‣ How can God speak to others through me, and how can God speak to me through 

others? 

‣ How does your audience influence your communication? 



‣ Everyone is created in God's image and therefore deserving of empathy and 

respect. 

‣ Communication is essential to effective teamwork. 



By close of grade 6, Lower School students will work to build the following skills: 

Reading 

‣ Establish and adjust purposes for reading such as to gain knowledge, to understand, 

to interpret, to enjoy and to solve problems that relate to world and 

human experience. 

‣ Predict story events and outcomes. 

‣ Decode words using phonetic and structural analysis. 

‣ Apply word analysis skills by interpreting words and phrases as they are used in a 

text to extend vocabulary. 

‣ Reason the relationship of word pairs in analogies. 

‣ Determine the meaning of unknown words using context 

clues, glossaries, dictionaries, technology, textual features. 

‣ Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g. personal interest, 

knowledge of authors and genres, or recommendations from others. 

‣ Define the meaning of unknown words by using context clues to determine the 

meaning of synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and homographs. 

‣ Explain how a character's thoughts, words, and actions reveal his or her motivations. 

‣ Identify and explain the use of figurative language including simile and 

metaphor (personification, and hyperbole). 

‣ Sequence a story after reading or hearing it. 

‣ Construct meaning from text using contextual and syntactic cues. 

‣ Apply self-monitoring strategies to clarify confusion about text and to 

monitor comprehension. 

‣ Read orally with fluency and expression. 

‣ Apply effective reading comprehension strategies including making connections, 

summarizing, comparing and contrasting, using inference, creating a mental image 

and noting point of view. 

‣ Identify the main idea or theme of a text with key supporting details. 

‣ Select, create and use graphic organizers to synthesize and interpret 

textual information. 

‣ Identify and analyze elements of literature, including setting, character, and plot. 

‣ Distinguish between reality and fantasy, fact and fiction. 

‣ Read and interpret a variety of thematic literature from different genres and multimedia 

sources. 

‣ Interpret and analyze critically literary, informational, and functional 

‣ Apply biblical principles to text at an appropriate developmental level. 

‣ Identify and utilize text features such as titles, visual aids and book parts to build text 

knowledge and locate information. 

Writing 

‣ Express personal experiences through narratives and creative writing. 

‣ Write opinion pieces supported by facts and details. 

‣ Connect opinions and reasons using linking words and phrases. 

‣ Conduct short research projects where evidence is drawn from literary and 

informational texts. 

‣ Generate ideas and determine a topic suitable for writing. 


‣ Apply the major phases of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing 

and publishing. 

‣ Apply tools such as checklists, rubrics and feature lists to assess the quality 

of writing. 

‣ Plan writing for different purposes and audiences. 

‣ Use revision strategies to improve the coherence of ideas, clarity of sentence 

structure and effectiveness of word choices. 

‣ Edit to improve sentence fluency, grammar and usage. 

‣ Prepare writing for publication that is legible and follows an appropriate format. 

‣ Spell grade-appropriate words correctly. 

‣ Use conventions of punctuation and capitalization in written work including 

commas, end marks, apostrophes and quotation marks, and correct capitalization. 

‣ Use grammatical structures to communicate ideas effectively in writing including 

various parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, and 

regular/irregular/past/present/future verbs, conjunctions and interjections, adverbs, 

prepositions and prepositional phrases, objective and nominative case pro nouns, 

subjects and verbs in agreement including irregular plural nouns. 

‣ Demonstrate competence in writing narrative, descriptive, persuasive, reflective 

and informational pieces, response to text and research projects. 

‣ Write formal and informal letters that include important details and follow correct 

letter format. 

‣ Apply vocabulary and appropriate voice to communicate messages clearly 

and precisely. 

‣ Use print and digital resources to gather information on a particular topic. 

‣ Use technology as a tool for publishing and creating multimedia reports. 

‣ Acknowledge sources of information in writing thus avoiding plagiarism. 

‣ Use charts, tables, and graphic organizers in prewriting and inclusion in reports. 

Listening/Speaking/Discussion 

‣ Demonstrate active listening strategies. 

‣ Retell a story or experience in sequential order. 

‣ Respond to questions and discussions with appropriate elaboration. 

‣ Ask questions for clarification or for needed information. 

‣ Deliver a variety of oral presentations. 

‣ Participate effectively in a range of collaborative experiences. 

By close of grade 12, Upper School students will work to build the following skills: 

Reading 

‣ Acquire vocabulary by: defining unknown words through context clues and the 

author’s use of comparison, contrast and cause and effect; using knowledge of Greek, 

Latin and Anglo-Saxon roots, 

prefixes and suffixes to understand complex words and new subject-area vocabulary 

‣ Summarize stated and implied themes; analyze universal themes, patterns or symbols 

across genres, authors, cultures and time periods. Evaluate theme against personal 

beliefs. 

‣ Evaluate literature or nonfiction texts of increasing complexity for the theological 

principles of creation, fall, redemption and vocation. 

‣ Recognize and be conversant with a wide variety of writers who represent ethnic, religi 

ous, gender, and age diversity and whose works also represent 

increasing complexity. 


‣ Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and 

contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and 

drawing conclusions. 

‣ Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions—in both short answer 

and extended response form—to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate 

print texts and electronic and visual media. 

‣ Analyze the rhetorical devices used in public documents, including newspaper 

editorials and speeches. 

‣ Analyze and critique organizational patterns and techniques including repetition of 

ideas, appeals to authority, reason and emotion, syntax and word choice that authors 

use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience. 

‣ Analyze the content from several sources on a single issue, clarifying ideas and 

connecting them to other sources and related topics. 

‣ Distinguish between valid and invalid inferences and provide evidence to support the 

findings, noting instances of unsupported inferences, fallacious reasoning, 

propaganda techniques, bias and stereotyping. 

‣ Examine an author’s implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about 

a subject. 

‣ Evaluate the effectiveness and validity of arguments in public documents and their 

appeal to various audiences. 

‣ Apply the reading process to various genres of literature to include novels, short 

stories, nonfiction and poetry by analyzing the effect of setting, character, plot, 

and theme: 

o evaluating motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar 

conflicts using examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions; 

o analyzing the historical, social and cultural context of texts whose complexity, 

length and level of abstraction, vocabulary and content are at developmentally 

appropriate grade levels; 

o explaining how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot 

and credibility; 

o recognizing characteristics of subgenres, 

including satire, parody and allegory, and explaining how choice of 

genre affects the expression of a theme or topic; 

o analyzing the characteristics of various literary periods and how the issues 

influenced the writers of those periods; 

o evaluating ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific 

rhetorical and aesthetic purposes such as through the use of figurative 

language, irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language; 

and citing specific examples from text to support analysis. 

Writing 

‣ Compose narratives that sustain reader interest by pacing action and developing an 

engaging plot such as tension and suspense; use a range of strategies including 

figurative language and organization. 

‣ Compose personal, reflective compositions that draw abstract comparisons between 

specific incidents and generalizations about life. 

‣ Compose evaluative responses to literature; support key ideas and viewpoints with 

accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; analyze the 

author’s use of stylistic devices and express an appreciation of the effects the devices 

create; identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities 


within text; anticipate and answer a reader’s questions, counterclaims or divergent 

interpretations. 

‣ Compose informational essays including research that develop a perspective on the 

subject; create an organizing structure appropriate to purpose and audience; include 

information on all relevant perspectives, considering the validity and reliability of primary 

and secondary sources; make distinctions about the relative value and significance of 

specific data, facts and ideas; anticipate and address a reader’s potential biases. 

‣ Compose persuasive compositions that articulate a clear position; support assertions 

using rhetorical devices, including appeals to emotion or logic and personal anecdotes; 

and develop arguments using a variety of methods such as examples, beliefs, expert 

opinion, or cause-effect reasoning. 

‣ Produce informal writings such as journals, notes and poems for various purposes. 

‣ Conduct research by: 

o composing open-ended questions for research, assigned or personal interest, 

and modify questions as necessary during inquiry and investigation to narrow the 

focus or extend the investigation; 

o identifying appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple 

sources which may include traditional print sources, online databases, electronic 

resources and Internet-based resources; 

o determining the accuracy of sources and the credibility of the author by analyzing 

the sources’ 

validity for authority, accuracy, objectivity, publication date and coverage; 

o analyzing the complexities and discrepancies in information and systematically 

organize relevant information to support central ideas, concepts and themes; 

o 

o 

o 

integrating quotations and citations into written text to maintain a flow of ideas; 

using style guides to produce oral and written reports that give proper credit for 

sources and include appropriate in-text documentation, notes and an acceptable 

format for source acknowledgement; 

and using a variety of communication techniques including oral, visual, written or 

multimedia reports to present information that supports a clear position about the 

topic or research question and defend the credibility and validity of the information 

presented. 

‣ Produce writing with few or no significant errors in grammatical, mechanical, or usage 

conventions in Standard Edited American English including: use correct spelling 

conventions; use correct capitalization and punctuation; purposefully use clauses, such as 

main and subordinate, and phrases including gerund, infinitive, and participial; use parallel 

structure to present items in a series and items juxtaposed for emphasis; use proper 

placement of modifiers; maintain the use of appropriate verb tenses; achieve agreement 

between subject and verb as well as pronoun and antecedent. 

‣ Respond to writing prompts both in timed and untimed writing assignments. 

‣ Cite sources adhering to Modern Language Association, MLA, format in final draft work w 

hen incorporating ideas or phrases not the student’s own. 

‣ Apply tools such as checklists, rubrics and feature lists to judge the quality of writing. 

‣ Develop an authentic voice that distinguishes his/her writing and uses diction both 

appropriate and specific to the audience, purpose, and topic. 

‣ Establish and develop a clear thesis statement during prewriting for informational writing 

or a clear plan or outline for narrative writing; determine a purpose and audience and plan 

strategies such as adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as 

appropriate to audience needs, to address purpose and audience; and use organizational 

strategies such as notes and outlines to plan writing. 


‣ Organize writing using a draft to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging 

introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or 

elaborates on points or ideas in the writing; use a variety of sentence structures and 

lengths such as simple, compound and complex sentences; parallel or repetitive sentence 

structure; use paragraph form in writing, including topic sentences that arrange 

paragraphs in a logical sequence, using effective transitions and closing sentences and 

maintaining coherence across the whole through the use of parallel structures; use 

precise language, action verbs, sensory details, colorful modifiers and style as appropriate 

to audience and purpose, and use techniques to convey a personal style and voice; and 

use available technology 

‣ to compose text. 

‣ Revise to insure clarity of writing, consistency of point of view and effectiveness of 

organizational structure; add and delete examples and details to better elaborate on a 

stated central idea, to develop more precise analysis or persuasive argument or to 

enhance plot, setting and character in narrative texts; rearrange words, sentences and 

paragraphs and add transitional words and phrases to clarify meaning and achieve 

specific aesthetic and rhetorical purposes; and use resources and reference materials 

including dictionaries and thesauruses to select effective and precise vocabulary that 

maintains consistent style, tone and voice. 

‣ Proofread writing; edit to imdprove conventions including grammar, spelling, punctuation 

and capitalization; identify and correct fragments and run-ons and eliminate inappropriate 

slang or informal language. 

‣ Recognize errors in diction, grammar, sentence structure, subjectverb 

agreement, and wordiness so as to correct these, such as on the College 

Board SAT test in writing. 

‣ Address effectively and insightfully a timed writing task. 

‣ Produce essays in timed writing tasks which are well organized, fully developed and 

employ clearly appropriate examples to support ideas. 

‣ Display consistent facility in language use, variety in sentence structure and range of 

vocabulary in timed writing tasks including the Ohio Graduation Test in Writing, the 

College Board SAT writing test, and others. 

Speaking/Listening/Discussion 

‣ Accept opportunities to lead small group collaboration in which he/she must support and 

defend ideas, respond to interpretive prompts/problems, lead the group to summaries, 

consensus, and to structured arguments. 

‣ Deliver before an audience self-prepared expository or persuasive speeches and/or 

multimedia presentations. 

‣ Engage in elective courses that require dramatic interpretation, competitive speech 

preparation in various categories, and rigorous exercise in oratorical skills or that produce 

writing of a creative nature. 

‣ Apply active listening strategies; identify a speaker’s appeals to the audience; evaluate 

credibility of speaker and any fallacies in reasoning. 


Advanced Placement English Courses 

By close of Advanced Placement Language and Composition the student will achieve all 

benchmarks listed previously and in addition: 

*The teacher has read the most recent AP English Course Description. 

Reading 

‣ Read a wide variety of prose styles from many disciplines and historical periods applying 

interpretive skill to reading and writing. 

‣ Analyze how diction affects a writer’s style. 

‣ Evaluate connections between ideas at differing levels of specificity, including the 

adequacy of evidence. 

‣ Analyze major devices that control tone and structure and their relation to 

rhetorical purpose. 

‣ Discern and articulate in appropriate vocabulary how stylistic devices result in voice. 

‣ Recognize and be conversant with a wide variety of writers who represent ethnic, religious 

, gender, and age diversity. 

‣ Place a reading in historical context for works whose complexity, length, level 

of abstraction, vocabulary and context are at college level. 

‣ Apply known conventions of genres and time periods to identify authors, time periods, and 

assumptions authors have made about their audiences. 

‣ Apply reading strategies to learn from literature and informational texts to evaluate theme 

against personal beliefs and biblical principles. 

‣ Compare personal response to critical evaluation of texts. 

‣ Access texts, research, primary and secondary sources, and media via online and digital 

technology, cite properly using a style manual and MLA citation style and incorporate 

passages and synthesizing one's own ideas with the presented arguments in various 

ways integrated with personal evaluation. 

Writing 

‣ Write in informal as well as formal contexts to gain authority and learn to take risks 

in writing. 

‣ Demonstrate in writing, discussion, and oral presentation an understanding of the defining 

features of a wide variety of literary genres. 

‣ Achieve stylistic maturity in prose, marked by the following: wide-ranging vocabulary used 

appropriately and effectively; varying sentence structures, including appropriate use of 

subordination and coordination; logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to 

increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis; balanced 

generalization and specific illustrative detail; effective use of rhetoric by controlling tone, 

maintaining voice, achieving emphasis through diction and syntax. 

‣ Create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and personal experience. 

‣ Move effectively through the writing process using inquiry, research, drafting, revising, edit 

ing, and review to produce a final, polished product. 

‣ Develop clear, focused responses to writing prompts both within time constraints and 

outside the classroom. 

‣ Produce a written piece with few or no significant errors in grammatical, mechanical, and 

usage conventions of Standard Edited American English in timed writing settings and for 

out of class assignments. 



‣ Engage in discussions exhibiting analysis of literary devices that contribute to rhetorical 

effect and theme. 

‣ Exhibit support for group members in learning situations. 

By close of Advanced Placement Literature and Composition the student will achieve all 

benchmarks listed previously and in addition: 

*The teacher has read the most recent AP English Course Description. 

Reading 

‣ Study for close analysis and familiarity texts originally written in English, some in 

translation, written from the sixteenth century to contemporary times. 

‣ Give evidence that literary tradition and imaginative literature builds in complex ways upon 

ideas, works, and authors of earlier times. 

‣ Focus on the poetic genre and how meaning is achieved through literary devices. 

‣ Achieve the benchmarks stated for AP Language and Composition stated above. 

‣ Study literature from both British and American writers, as well as works written in several 

genres from the sixteenth century to contemporary times. The works selected for the 

course should require careful, deliberative reading that yields multiple meanings. 

Writing 

‣ Produce critical analysis of literature including expository, analytical, and persuasive 

essays in timed writing settings and, to a lesser degree, expressive and creative pieces. 

‣ The course teaches students to write an interpretation of a piece of literature that is based 

on a careful observation of textual details, considering the works: 

o structure, style, and themes. 

o the social and historical values it reflects and embodies. 

o such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. 

‣ The course includes frequent opportunities for students to write and rewrite formal, 

extended analyses and timed, in-class responses. The course requires: 

o writing to understand which includes informal, exploratory writing activities that 

enable students to discover what they think in the process of writing about 

their reading. 

o writing to explain which includes expository, analytical essays in which students 

draw upon textual details to develop an extended explanation/interpretation of the 

meanings of a literary text 

o writing to evaluate which includes analytical, argumentative essays in which 

students draw upon textual details to make and explain judgments about a work's 

artistry and quality, and its social and cultural values 


The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both bef 

ore and after the students revise their work, that help the students develop: 

‣ a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively; 

‣ a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination 

and coordination; 

‣ logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as 

repetition, transitions, and emphasis; 

‣ a balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail; 

‣ an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining 

voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure. 


‣ Students engage in discussion and collaboration to enhance their analytical and 

rhetorical skills. 



Mathematics 2 

Mathematics is one discipline by which we better understand God’s precise, orderly, and 

sometimes mysterious creation. As a result of a CHCA mathematics education, students will 

appreciate and develop proficiency in the use of mathematics. Proficiency in mathematics learning 

refers to conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive 

reasoning, and productive disposition. [Adding it Up, NRC, 2001] Students engage in and 

experience instruction based on The Standards for Mathematical Practice. 

[http://www.corestandards.org/the- standards/mathematics] Students demonstrate competency 

in mathematics using a variety of methods and media. Developmentally appropriate instruction 

challenges and supports students. 

Core Competencies: Standards of Mathematical Practice 

In the Standards for Mathematical Practice, CHCA students: 

❖ Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. 

❖ Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 

❖ Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. 

❖ Model with mathematics. 

❖ Use appropriate tools strategically. 

❖ Attend to precision. 

❖ Look for and make use of structure. 

❖ Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. 

❖ See God’s orderliness and mystery reflected in mathematics. 

2 CHCA derives its mathematics curriculum in part from the following: The National Governor's Association and 

Council of Chief State School Officers international benchmarking work to produce the common core standards 

in mathematics. http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/mathematics Skills articulated by National Council 

of Teachers of Mathematics http://www.nctm.org/standards Skills tested on standardized tests including the 

Stanford Achievement Test grades 1-8, the Educational Record Bureau Comprehensive Test grades 1-8, the 

PLAN, ACT, PSAT, SAT, and College Board Advanced Placement Calculus and Statistics examinations. 


Breakdown of Core Competencies 

Competency: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. 


‣ How do I know where to begin when solving a problem? 

‣ What should I do if I'm stuck solving it? 

‣ Does my answer make sense? 

Competency: Reason abstractly and quantitatively 


‣ Which operations and equivalences will simplify and help me solve the problem? 

‣ Does my abstract representation of these quantities make sense in context? 

Competency: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others 


‣ Is this conclusion logical? 

‣ Have I sufficiently supported my answer and shown my work? 

‣ What might be counter-evidence and counter arguments of others that help me to 

understand a problem/solution better? 

‣ How is mathematical reasoning different than everyday reasoning? 

Competency: Model with mathematics. 


‣ Why might mathematical modeling be useful (important)? 

‣ Does this model make sense? 

‣ How might I test this model? 

‣ How might this model be improved? 

‣ What are the mathematical limits of this (or any) mathematical model? 

Competency: Use appropriate tools strategically. 


‣ What tools should I use here to be most efficient and effective? 

‣ Where might I find more helpful resources when needed? 


Competency: Attend to precision. 


‣ When and why does precision matter? 

‣ When is it appropriate to use estimation and/or approximation? 

‣ To what degree did I make my data, reasoning, and conclusion sufficiently clear (for 

this audience and purpose)? 

‣ What makes me confident that my data is reliable? 

Competency: Look for and make use of structure. 


‣ What type of problem is this? 

‣ What's the underlying relationship here? 

‣ What shift of perspective might make the solution path more evident? 

Competency: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. 


‣ What strategies can I use to identify the pattern? 

‣ What patterns are evident? 

‣ How does knowing the pattern help me understand the problem? 

‣ Am I sure that the general pattern recurs or is my sample too small? 

Competency: Theological Integration— See God’s orderliness and mystery in 

mathematics. 


‣ How does math reveal and reflect God's character, creativity, and diversity? 

‣ How does mathematics display God's order? 


Benchmarks (with Mathematics Content Domains) 


Number and Operations in Base Ten 

‣ Extend the understanding of place value to properties of operations involving decimals 

(K-4). 

‣ Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit 

arithmetic. 

Number and Operations-Fractions 

‣ Add, subtract, multiply, and divide with fractions and with decimals (K-4). 

‣ Develop understanding of fractions and decimals as numbers and use ideas of 

equivalence to order, compare, and represent fractions and decimals. 

‣ Perform addition and subtraction with fractions, and multiply fractions by whole 

numbers. 

‣ Identify coins, count money and make change in reference to value of goods and 

services. 

Operations and Algebraic Thinking 

‣ Represent and solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, 

and division with whole numbers. 

‣ Demonstrative and use understanding of the relationship between addition and 

subtraction, and multiplication and division. 

‣ Generate and analyze patterns, such as patterns in addition or multiplication tables 

and factor pairs. 

Geometry 

‣ Solve real-world problems by representing situations in the coordinate plane (K-4). 

‣ Classify two dimensional figures into categories based on their properties (K-4). 

‣ Identify and describe two and three-dimensional shapes. 

‣ Reason with shapes and their attributes. 

‣ Understand characteristics of lines and angles, and use those characteristics to 

classify other shapes. 

Measurement and Data 

‣ Convert within a given measurement system, including the metric system (K-4). 

‣ Use concepts of geometric measurement to study volume of solid figures (K-4). 

‣ Measure and estimate lengths in standard units. 

‣ Solve problems involving measurement and conversions of measurement for 

situations of time, liquid, volumes, and masses. 

‣ Represent and interpret data using a variety of types and graphs involving 

whole number and fractional units. 

‣ Use concepts of geometric measurement to study angle, perimeter, and area 

concepts. 


By close of grade 12, Upper School students work to master the following within each level 

and branch of mathematics: 

Pre-Algebra 

Within the Standards of Mathematical Practice K-12 

‣ Be mathematical problem solvers. 

‣ Reason and construct mathematical arguments. 

‣ Communicate mathematically. 

‣ See connections both within mathematics and to other subject areas. 

‣ Look for and make use of structure and patterns. 

See God’s orderliness and mystery reflected in mathematics: 

‣ Use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the 

vastness and mystery of God and His creation. 

Pre-Algebra Skills— 

Ratios and Proportional Relationships 

‣ Analyze ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems. 

‣ Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical 

problems. 

The Number System 

‣ Add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers to solve real-world and 

mathematical problems. 

‣ Extend the real number system beyond rational numbers and 

use rational numbers to approximate irrational numbers. 

Expressions and Equations 

‣ Solve real-world and mathematical problems using algebraic equations. 

‣ Work with radicals and integer exponents. 

‣ Analyze and solve linear equations and systems using graphical methods. 

Functions 

‣ Define, evaluate, and compare linear functions 

Geometry 

‣ Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving angle 

measure, area, surface area, and volume. 

‣ Understand congruence and similarity through the use of transformations. 

‣ Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem. 

Statistics and Probability 

‣ Use and understand random sampling to draw inferences about a population. 

‣ Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations. 

‣ Use linear models to describe patterns of association in data. 

‣ Develop, use, and evaluate probability models. 


In grades 9-12 students complete four credits minimum of mathematics for high school 

graduation, including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and a fourth course. 

Algebra I 







See God’s orderliness and mystery reflected in mathematics 

‣ Use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the vastness and 

mystery of God and His creation. 

Algebra Skills— 

Modeling 

‣ Analyze key characteristics of linear and quadratic functions such as zeros, 

maximum/minimums, increasing/decreasing or constant behavior, average 

rates of change (slope) on given intervals, and symmetry to solve situated 

problems. 

Functions 

‣ Graph translations and stretches of linear functions, absolute value functions 

in vertex form, and quadratic functions in vertex form. 

‣ Interpret representations (graphs, tables, and equations) to reveal desired 

characteristics of linear, quadratic, absolute value, rational and exponential 

functions. 

Algebra 

‣ Apply symbolic manipulation methods to simplify expressions involving 

rational expressions and exponential expressions and to solve linear and 

quadratic equations and inequalities. 


Geometry and Geometry VT 








‣ Use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the vastness and 

mystery of God and His creation. 

Geometry Skills— 

Algebra 

‣ Express geometric properties using equations, which include midpoints, 

distance and coordinate geometry topics. 

Geometry 

‣ Develop and prove theorems about congruence and similarity of triangles 

and polygons, including theorems about lines, parallel lines, angle bisectors, 

etc., through transformational geometry. 

‣ Solve right triangle problems using sine, cosine, tangent, and the Pythagorean 

Theorem. 

‣ Identify and describe relationships among parts of a circle, such as central and 

inscribed angles, radii, chords, arcs, and sectors. 

‣ Apply formulas and solve problems involving volume and surface area of right 

prisms, right circular cylinders, right pyramids, cones, spheres, and composite. 


Algebra II and Algebra II VT 








‣ Use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the 

vastness and mystery of God and His creation. 

Modeling 

‣ Analyze characteristics of quadratic and polynomial functions 

such as relative extrema, domain, range, zeros, increasing and 

decreasing regions, and intersections of functions. These 

characteristics are also applied to real world applications. 

Functions 

‣ Graph piecewise defined, quadratic, and trigonometric functions using 

transformations. 

‣ Understand and use the unit circle in the coordinate plane to 

define the sine, cosine, and tangent functions. 

Algebra 

‣ Solve quadratic, polynomial, radical and rational equations and 

inequalities using by using symbolic manipulation methods. 

Number and Quantities 

‣ Apply the properties of complex numbers to the solutions of quadratic and polynomial 

equations. 


Advanced Placement Calculus AB 

By close of Advanced Placement Calculus AB: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Calculus AB Course Description. 

‣ The course teaches all topics associated with Functions, 

Graphs, and Limits; Derivatives; and Integrals as delineated 

in the Calculus AB Topic Outline in the Course Description. 

‣ The course provides students with the opportunity to work with 

functions represented in a variety of ways -- graphically, 

numerically, analytically, and verbally -- and emphasizes the 

connections among these representations. 

‣ The course teaches students how to communicate mathematics 

and explain solutions to problems both verbally and in written 

sentences. 

‣ The course teaches students how to use graphing calculators 

to help solve problems, experiment, interpret results, and 

support conclusions. 

‣ Students use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite 

way the vastness and mystery of God and His creation. 

Advanced Placement Calculus BC 

By close of Advanced Placement Calculus BC: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Calculus BC Course Description. 

‣ The course teaches all topics associated with Functions, Graphs, and Limits; 

Derivatives; Integrals; and Polynomial Approximations and Series as delineated in 

the Calculus BC Topic Outline in the Course Description. 

‣ The course provides students with the opportunity to work with functions 

represented in a variety of ways -- graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally 

-- and emphasizes the connections among these representations. 

‣ The course teaches students how to communicate mathematics and explain 

solutions to problems both verbally and in written sentences. 

‣ The course teaches students how to use graphing calculators to help solve 

problems, experiment, interpret results, and support conclusions. 

‣ Students use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the vastness 

and mystery of God and His creation. 


Advanced Placement Statistics 

By close of Advanced Placement Statistics: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Statistics Course Description. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following four broad conceptual 

themes outlined in the Course Description with appropriate emphasis on each: 

‣ exploring data 

‣ sampling and experimentation 

‣ anticipating patterns 

‣ statistical inference 

‣ The course draws connections between all aspects of the statistical process, 

including design, analysis, and conclusions. 

‣ The course teaches students how to communicate methods, results, and 

interpretations using the vocabulary of statistics. 

‣ The course teaches students how to use graphing calculators and demonstrates 

the use of computers and/or computer output to enhance the development of 

statistical understanding through exploring and analyzing data, assessing models, 

and performing simulations 

‣ Students use mathematics to organize and understand in a finite way the vastness 

and mystery of God and His creation. 



Science 3 

Science is a method of inquiry founded upon the order of the natural world and the design of its 

Creator. In addition, science is an ongoing process that is a dynamic investigative tool framed 

by current research and understanding. Students become responsible, independent, 

questioning, creative, and organized learners building on their curiosity, moving towards a 

mastery of scientific skills, processes, concepts, and theories. Students explore the various 

disciplines of science through an organized progression utilizing hands-on activities, technology, 

laboratory investigations, and engineering design challenges. These classroom experiences 

emphasize scientific processes and develop critical thinking skills. Students recognize the 

interdependence of science with mathematics, technology, and communication. Growing in 

scientific literacy, students come to acknowledge their personal responsibility as stewards to 

care for humanity and conserve resources for the glory of God. 


Students work to master the following overarching skills: 

❖ Asking questions and defining problems 

❖ Developing and using models 

❖ Planning and carrying out investigations 

❖ Analyzing and interpreting data 

❖ Using mathematics and computational thinking 

❖ Constructing explanations and designing solutions 

❖ Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 

❖ Theological Integration 

3 CHCA derives its science curriculum in part from the following: Ohio Academic Content Standards in 

Science K-12 revised June 2017. Skills articulated by the National Science Teachers 

Association http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php? record_id=4962, Next Generation Science Standards 

(NSTA NGSS) https://ngss.nsta.org/AccessStandardsByTopic.aspx 

Science Literacy 2061 http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online, Skills tested on standardized 

tests including the Stanford Achievement Test grades 1-8, the Educational Record Bureau 

Comprehensive Test grades 7 and 8, the PLAN, ACT, PSAT, SAT, and College Board Advanced 

Placement Physics B, Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science examinations. 



Competency: Asking questions and defining problems 

Description: 

A practice of science is to ask and refine questions that lead to descriptions and explanations 

of how God's world functions and which can be empirically tested. Students will learn to… 

‣ Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena, models, or 

unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information. 

‣ Ask questions to identify and/or clarify evidence and/or the premise(s) of an argument. 

‣ Ask questions that require sufficient and appropriate empirical evidence to answer. 

‣ Ask questions that can be investigated within the scope of the classroom, outdoor 

environment, and museums and other public facilities with available resources. 

‣ Frame a hypothesis based on observations and scientific principles. 

‣ Predict reasonable outcomes for an investigation based on patterns such as causeand-effect 

relationships. 

‣ Ask questions that challenge the premise(s) of an argument or the interpretation of a 

data set. 

‣ Define a design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, 

tool, process, or system and includes multiple criteria and constraints, including 

scientific knowledge that may limit possible solutions. 


‣ How and when do scientific theories change? 

‣ How do I pick a problem that I want to solve? 

Competency: Developing and using models 

Description: 

A practice of both science and engineering is to use and construct models as helpful tools for 

representing ideas and explanations. These tools include diagrams, drawings, physical 

replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, and computer simulations. Students will 

learn to… 

‣ Develop and/or use a model to predict and/or describe phenomena. 

‣ Develop a model to describe unobservable mechanisms. 

‣ Identify limitations of models. 

‣ Collaboratively develop and/or revise a model based on evidence that shows the 

relationships among variables for frequent and regularly occurring events. 

‣ Develop a diagram or simple physical prototype to convey a proposed object, tool, or 

process. 

‣ Use a model to test cause-and-effect relationships or interactions concerning the 

functioning of a natural or designed system. 


E Essential Questions: 

‣ How do we create, test, and validate a scientific model? 

‣ How did past scientific discoveries lead to modern knowledge? 

Competency: Planning and carrying out investigations 

Description: 

Scientists and engineers plan and carry out investigations in the field or laboratory, working 

collaboratively as well as individually. Their investigations are systemic and require clarifying 

what counts as data and identifying variables and parameters. Students will learn to… 

‣ Plan an investigation individually and collaboratively, and in the design; identify 

independent and dependent variables and controls, what tools are needed to do the 

gathering, how measurements will be recorded, and how many data are needed to 

support a claim. 

‣ Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are 

considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. 

‣ Conduct an investigation and/or evaluate and/or revise the experimental design to 

produce data to serve as the basis for evidence that meets the goals of the 

investigation 

‣ Collect data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test 

design solutions under a range of conditions. 

‣ Make predictions about what would happen if a variable changes. 

‣ Undertake a design project, engaging in the design cycle, to construct and/or 

implement a solution that meets specific design criteria and constraints. 


‣ What tools should I use for this investigation? 

‣ How do I know my method is valid? 

Competency: Analyzing and interpreting data 

Description: 

Scientific investigations produce data that must be analyzed to derive meaning. In doing so, 

we reveal the order and awe of God's creation. Because data patterns and trends are not 

always obvious, scientists use a range of tools to identify the significant features and patterns 

in the data. Scientists identify sources of error in the investigations and examine the degree 

of certainty in the results. Students will learn to… 

‣ Construct, analyze, and/or interpret graphical displays of data and/or large data sets to 

identify linear and nonlinear relationships. 

‣ Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena. 

‣ Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings. 


‣ Analyze data to define an optimal operational range for a proposed object, tool, 

process, or system that best meets criteria for success. 


‣ Why is it important that we recognize universal patterns existing within our world? 

‣ What is the difference between truth and fact? 

‣ How do we identify patterns and use them to predict what will happen next? 

Competency: Using mathematics and computational thinking 

Description: 

In both science and engineering, mathematics and computation are fundamental tools for 

representing physical variables and their relationships. Students will learn to… 

‣ Use mathematical representations to describe and/or support scientific conclusions 

and design solutions 

‣ Apply mathematical concepts and/or processes to scientific and engineering questions 

and problems. 

‣ Use digital tools and/or mathematical concepts and arguments to test and compare 

proposed solutions to an engineering design problem. 

‣ Describe, measure, estimate, and/or graph quantities such as area, volume, weight, 

and time to address scientific and engineering questions and problems. 


‣ How do I evaluate if this is the best approach to the problem? 

‣ How do I determine the best strategy to use for tackling a specific scientific problem? 

Competency: Constructing explanations and designing solutions 

Description: 

Science is a collaborative and dynamic process of forming and revising evidence-based 

explanations that enhance our understanding of God's creation. Engineering applies 

scientific explanations to design responsible solutions to real world problems. Students will 

learn to… 

‣ Construct an explanation using models or representations. 

‣ Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from 

sources (including the students’ own experiments) and the assumption that theories 

and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will 

continue to do so in the future. 

‣ Construct an explanation that includes qualitative or quantitative relationships 

between variables that predict and/or describe phenomena. 


‣ Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to construct, revise, and/or use an 

explanation for real-world phenomena. 

‣ Identify the evidence that supports particular points in an explanation, and apply 

scientific reasoning to show why the data or evidence is adequate for the explanation 

or conclusion. 

‣ Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well 

each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 


‣ How could we use science and engineering to create a better world? 

‣ How could we use science and engineering to ensure and sustain enough food, water 

and resources for global community? 

Competency: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information 

Description: 

Scientists and engineers must be able to communicate clearly and argue persuasively, using 

data to support their claims. Critiquing and communicating ideas individually and in groups is 

a critical professional activity. Students will learn to… 

‣ Compare and critique two arguments on the same topic and analyze whether they 

emphasize similar or different evidence and/or interpretations of facts. 

‣ Respectfully provide and receive critiques about one’s explanations, procedures, 

models, and questions by using relevant evidence and posing and responding to 

questions that elicit pertinent elaboration and detail. 

‣ Construct, use, and/or present an oral and written argument supported by empirical 

evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a 

phenomenon or a solution to a problem. 

‣ Use data to evaluate claims about cause and effect. 

‣ Critically read scientific texts adapted for classroom use to determine the central ideas 

and/or obtain scientific and/or technical information to describe patterns in and/or 

evidence about the natural and designed world(s). 

‣ Integrate qualitative and/or quantitative scientific and/or technical information in written 

text with that contained in media and visual displays to clarify claims and findings. 

‣ Evaluate competing design solutions based on jointly developed and agreed-upon 

design criteria. 

‣ Communicate scientific and/or technical information in writing and/or through oral 

presentations, including various forms of media as well as tables, diagrams, and 

charts 


‣ How do we make predictions for the future and ensure that they have validity? 

‣ How do pictures, graphs, tables and data “paint a thousand words”? 

‣ How do we merge or resolve new discoveries with our current understanding? 


Competency: Thinking theologically about science 

Description: 

Science is a human investigation of the natural world that can lead people to interpret 

scientific knowledge and ethical conduct based on historical context and their personal faith 

and beliefs. Science is a study of the natural world to better understand the nature of God, 

develop an appreciation of wonder, an awe of our Creator, and an appreciation of God as 

Creator. 


‣ What is “proof?” When does proof help reinforce faith? When does proof get in the 

way? 

‣ In what ways are faith and investigation compatible? 



By close of grade 6, Lower School students will work to build the following 

understandings and content knowledge: 

Life Science 


‣ Organisms have both internal and external macroscopic structures that allow for 

growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction (K-3) 

‣ All living things are made up of cells, which is the smallest unit that can be said to be 

alive. An organism may consist of one single cell or many different cells and types of 

cells. (4-6) 

‣ In multicellular organisms, the body is a system of multiple interacting subsystems. 

These subsystems are groups of cells that work together to form tissues and organs 

that are specialized for particular body functions. (4-6) 

‣ Within cells, special structures are responsible for particular functions. (4-6) 

‣ Within cells, the cell membrane forms the boundary that controls what enters and 

leaves the cell. (4-6) 

‣ Parents and offspring often engage in behaviors that help the offspring survive. (K-3) 

‣ Reproduction is essential to every kind of organism. Organisms have unique and 

diverse life cycles (K-3) 

‣ Organisms reproduce and transfer their genetic information to their offspring. (4-6) 

‣ An organism’s growth is affected by both genetic and environmental factors (4-6) 

‣ Animals and plants alike generally need to take in air and water, animals must take in 

food, and plants need light and minerals. (K-3) 

‣ Food provides animals with the materials they need for body repair and growth and is 

digested to release the energy they need to maintain body warmth and for motion. (4- 

6) 

‣ Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water and process matter 

they have formed to maintain their internal conditions. (4-6) 

‣ Plants, algae, and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars 

from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of 

photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately 

or stored for growth or later use. (4-6) 

‣ Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions in 

which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, to support growth, or 

to release energy. (4-6) 

‣ Different sense receptors are specialized for particular kinds of information, which may 

then be processed and integrated by an animal’s brain, with some information stored 

as memories. (4-6) 

‣ Animals are able to use their perceptions and memories to guide their actions. Some 

responses to information are instinctive – that is animals’ brains are organized so that 

they do not have to think about how to respond to certain stimuli. (4-6) 

‣ Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal behavior and 

specialized features for reproduction. (4-6) 


‣ Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic 

ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often 

used as a measure of its health. (4-6) 

Life Science Meta-Skills 

Students will work to build the following skills: 

‣ Investigate how living things are different from nonliving things (K-3) 

‣ Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells, 

either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells. (4-6) 

‣ Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts 

of cells contribute to the function. (4-6) 

‣ Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting 

subsystems composed of groups of cells. (4-6) 

‣ Observe evidence that offspring resemble their parents and each other. (K-3) 

‣ Explore how individuals of the same kind differ in their traits and sometimes the 

differences give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing. (K-3) 

‣ Investigate plant and animal life cycles as part of their adaptations for survival in the 

natural environment. (K-3) 

‣ Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air 

and water. (4-6) 

‣ Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through 

their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in 

different ways. (4-6) 

‣ Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an 

explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plan structures 

affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively. (4- 

6) 

‣ Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and 

genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. (4-6) 

‣ Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in 

the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms. (4-6) 

‣ Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions 

forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter 

moves through an organism. (4-6) 

‣ Observe and explore how changes in an organisms’ environment are sometimes 

beneficial to its survival and sometimes harmful. (K-3) 

Physical Science 

Students will work to understand that… 

‣ All objects and substances in the natural world are composed of matter. (K-3) 

‣ Matter exists in different states, each of which has different properties. (K-6) 

‣ Matter of any type can be subdivided into particles that are too small to see, but even 

then the matter still exists and can be detected by other means (e.g., by weighing or 

by its effects on other objects. (4-6) 

‣ Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter. (4-6) 

‣ All matter is made from specific elements. (4-6) 

‣ An atom is made up of subatomic particles, notably protons, neutrons, and electrons, 

that each have a specific charge, location, and mass. (4-6) 


‣ The amount (weight) of matter is conserved when it changes form, even in transitions 

in which it seems to vanish. (4-6) 

‣ Measurement of a variety of properties can be used to identify particular materials. (K- 

6) 

‣ When two or more different substances are mixed, a new substance with different 

properties may be formed; such occurrences depend on the substances and the 

temperature. (4-6) 

‣ No matter what reaction or change in properties occurs, the total weight of the 

substances does not change. (4-6) 

‣ The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same 

change in motion. For any given object, a larger force causes a larger change in 

motion. (K-6) 

‣ For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second 

object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in 

the opposite direction (Newton’s third law) (4-6) 

‣ The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total 

force on the object is not zero, its motion will change. (4-6) 

‣ Electric and magnetic (electromagnetic) forces can be attractive or repulsive, and their 

sizes depend on the magnitudes of the charges, currents, or magnetic strengths 

involved and on the distances between the interacting objects. (4-6) 

‣ Electric, magnetic, and gravitational forces between a pair of objects do not require 

that the objects be in contact – for example, magnets push or pull from a distance. (4- 

6) 

‣ Forces that act at a distance (electric and magnetic) can be explained by fields that 

extend through space and can be mapped by their effect on a test object. The sizes 

of the forces in each situation depend on the properties of the objects and their 

distances apart. (4-6) 

‣ The gravitational force of Earth acting on an object near Earth’s surface pulls that 

object toward the planet’s center. (4-6) 

‣ Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. (K-6) 

‣ The faster a given object is moving, the more energy it possesses. (4-6) 

‣ Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or through sound, light, 

or electric currents. (4-6) 

‣ Light transfers energy from place to place. For example, energy radiated from the 

Sun is transferred to Earth by light. When this light is absorbed, it warms Earth’s land, 

air, and water and facilitates plant growth. (4-6) 

‣ Energy can be transferred from place to place by electric currents, which can then be 

used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light. (4-6) 

‣ When objects collide, the contact forces transfer energy to change the object’s 

motions. (4-6) 

‣ Magnets can exert forces on other magnets or on magnetizable materials, thereby 

transferring energy even when the objects are not touching. (4-6) 

‣ A system of objects may also contain stored (potential) energy, depending on their 

relative positions. (4-6) 

‣ When two objects interact, each one exerts a force on the other that can cause energy 

to be transferred to or from the object. (4-6) 


‣ When the motion energy of an object changes, there is inevitably some other change 

in energy at the same time. (4-6) 

‣ Heat results when substances burn, when certain kinds of materials rub against each 

other, and when electricity flows through wires. (K-3) 

‣ Energy can be converted out of storage and into a desired form for practical use. 

Food and fuel release energy when they are burned or digested. (4-6) 

‣ When machines or animals “use” energy, most often the energy ends up transferred to 

heat in the surrounding environment. The energy released by burning fuel or digested 

food was once energy from the Sun that was captured by plants. (4-6) 

‣ It is important to be able to concentrate energy so that it is available for use where and 

when it is needed. For example, batteries are physically transportable energy storage 

devices, whereas electricity generated by power plants is transferred from place to 

place through distribution systems. (4-6) 

‣ Waves of the same type can differ in amplitude and wavelength. (4-6) 

‣ Waves can add or cancel one another as they cross, depending on their relative 

phase, but they emerge unaffected by each other. (4-6) 

‣ An object can be seen when light reflected from its surface enters the eyes. (4-6) 

‣ The color people see depends on the color of the available light sources as well as the 

properties of the surface. (4-6 

‣ High-tech devices, such as computers or cell phones, can receive and decode 

information. (4-6) 

Physical Science Meta-Skills 

‣ Sort and describe objects and materials by their properties (K-3) 

‣ Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their properties. 

(4-6) 

‣ Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen. (4- 

6) 

‣ Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of 

change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of 

matter is conserved. (4-6) 

‣ Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances 

results in new substances. (4-6) 

‣ Observe and describe forces changing the motion of an object. (K-3) 

‣ Investigate various ways objects can be moved. (K-3) 

‣ Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion 

depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object. (4-6) 

‣ Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric 

and magnetic forces. (4-6) 

‣ Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence 

that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the 

objects are not in contact. (4-6) 

‣ Identify objects and materials that produce sound (K-3) 

‣ Develop a model to describe that when the arrangement of objects interacting at a 

distance changes, different amounts of potential energy are storied in the system.(4-6) 

‣ Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the motion 

energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object. (4-6) 


‣ Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is 

directed down. (4-6) 

‣ Use evidence to construct an explanation relating the speed of an object to the energy 

of that object. (4-6) 

‣ Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to 

place by sound, light, heat and electrical currents. (K-6) 

‣ Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when 

objects collide. (4-6) 

‣ Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from 

one form to another. (4-6) 

‣ Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength 

and that waves can cause objects to move. (4-6) 

‣ Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye 

allows objects to be seen. (4-6) 

‣ Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information(4-6) 

Earth and Space Science 


‣ Human dependence on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many 

different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and 

many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. 

‣ As human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so 

do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are 

engineered otherwise. 

‣ Human activities affect Earth’s systems and their interactions at its surface. 

‣ Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on 

the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and 

communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. 

‣ Some resources are renewable over time, while others are not. 

‣ Earth’s crust consists of major and minor tectonic plates that move relative 

to each other. 

‣ Science plays a profound role in personal and social perspectives relating to natural 

resources, environmental quality, health, hazards, and global challenges utilizing the 

biblical directive to be good stewards from a scientific and Christian perspective. 

‣ Science is a human endeavor where people interpret scientific knowledge and ethical 

conduct based on historical context and their personal faith and beliefs. 

‣ God’s Creation reflects His revelation in such verses as: “Ever since the creation of 

the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly 

perceived in the things that have been made.” [Rom 1:19- 

20] As well: Gen.1,2; Job 38-41; Psalm 19:1-6; Psalm 24:1-2. 

Earth and Space Science Meta-Skills 

‣ Explain how the solar system includes the sun and all celestial bodies that orbit the 

sun. Each planet in the solar system has unique characteristics. 

‣ Identify the sun as one of many stars that exists in the universe. 

‣ See predictability in most of the cycles and patterns of motion between the Earth 

and sun. 

‣ Identify specific, quantifiable properties of minerals. 

‣ Identify and classify igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks using their 

unique characteristics. 


‣ Explain the various ways igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks form. 

‣ Understand soil is made of unconsolidated material that contains nutrient matter and 

weathered rock. 

‣ Identify practical and common uses of rocks, minerals and soils. 

‣ Trace the hydrologic cycle as illustrating the changing states of water as it moves 

through the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. 

‣ Explore how thermal energy transfers in the ocean and the atmosphere contribute to 

the formation of currents, which influence global climate patterns. 

‣ Identify different properties of the atmosphere at different elevations and how the 

atmosphere contains a mixture of gases that cycle through the lithosphere, biosphere, 

hydrosphere and atmosphere. 

‣ Explore the relative patterns of motion and positions of the Earth, moon and sun 

cause solar and lunar eclipses, tides and phases of the moon. 

‣ Explain the effect of the composition and properties of Earth’s interior in relationship to 

the behavior of seismic waves. 

‣ Explore the combination of constructive and destructive geologic processes that 

formed Earth’s surfaces. 

‣ Use the geologic record to show evidence of the dynamic changes of Earth’s surface 

through time. 

Science and Technology 

‣ Demonstrate and apply examples of relationships between science and technology. 

‣ Operate within a Christian perspective and ethical framework to articulate ethical 

issues related to technology use. 

‣ Acquire, analyze, and communicate information using technology. 

‣ Engage in problem-solving applying a design solution or build a product where 

constraints exist. 

By close of grade 12, Upper School students will work to build the following 

skills in science: 

Life Science 7 

‣ Observe and research how organisms perform a variety of roles in an ecosystem. 

‣ All of the processes that take place within organisms require energy. 

‣ Explore and understand that cells are the fundamental unit of life. 

‣ Explore how all cells come from pre-existing cells. 

‣ Explain specific functions of cells that sustain life. 

‣ Demonstrate understanding that living systems at all levels of organization 

demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. 

‣ Explain that matter is transferred continuously between one organism to another and 

between organisms and their physical environments. 

‣ Investigate how in any particular biome, the number, growth and survival of 

organisms and populations depend on biotic and abiotic factors. 

‣ Explore the theory that diversity of species occurs through gradual processes over 

many generations. 


‣ Investigate fossil records which provide evidence that changes have occurred in 

number and types of species. 

‣ Understand reproduction is necessary for the continuation of every species. 

‣ Explain that characteristics of an organism are a result of inherited traits received 

from parent(s). 

Physical Science 8 

‣ Calculate the amount of change in movement of an object based on the weight of the 

object and the amount of force exerted. 

‣ Investigate light and sound as forms of energy that behave in predictable ways. 

‣ Use various means to investigate that all matter is made up of small particles 

called atoms. 

‣ Explain changes of states of matter using a model of matter composed of atoms 

and/or molecules that are in motion. 

‣ Investigate two categories of energy: kinetic and potential. 

‣ Describe an object’s motion by its speed and the direction in which it is moving. 

‣ Investigate properties of matter determined by the arrangement of atoms. 

‣ Describe how energy can be transformed from one form to another or can be 

transferred from one location to another, but is never lost. 

‣ Investigate how energy can be transferred through a variety of ways. 

‣ Investigate how some forces between objects act when the objects are in direct 

contact or when they are not touching. 

‣ Experiment with force magnitude and direction. 

‣ Investigate different types of potential energy. 

To complete the minimum science requirement for High School graduation, the student will 

work to build the following skills and content understandings: 

Scientific Inquiry and Application 

‣ Understand and perform scientific inquiry, utilize measuring devices, distinguish 

between observation and inference, report data in appropriate units, and evaluate 

evidence and make determinations based on evidence. 

‣ Evaluate or design scientific investigations to formulate and/or revise scientific 

explanations and models. 

‣ Evaluate information derived from popular and technical sources to determine its 

scientific validity in making evidence-based decisions. 

‣ Know and apply safe investigative techniques. 

‣ Explain how and why a particular scientific theory or protocol may have changed 

over time. 

‣ Develop classification systems, formulate scientific models, and evaluate those 

models from a historical perspective. 

‣ Discuss current social issues using scientific concepts and vocabulary. 

Physical Science 

‣ Describe matter by various classifications depending upon the characteristics that are 

observable with/without magnification such as (a) pure substances vs. mixtures, (b) 

heterogeneous vs. homogeneous mixtures, (c) elements vs. compounds, and (d) 

atoms vs. molecules 


‣ Describe the identifiable physical properties of substances (e.g.,such as color, hardne 

ss, conductivity, density, concentration, and ductilityy). Explain how changes in these 

properties can occur without changing the chemical nature of the substance. 

‣ Know that matter is made of minute particles called atoms and atoms are comprised 

of even smaller components, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons. 

‣ Explain the structure and properties of atoms and how variations in the arrangement 

and motion of atoms and molecules form the basis of a variety of biological, chemical, 

and physical phenomena. 

‣ Understand the connection between the periodic table of elements and 

atomic structure. 

‣ Describe the role of subatomic particles and atomic structure on the properties of an 

element and how the atom (of that element) will interact with other atoms. Students 

will know that: 

o neutrons have little effect on how an atom interacts with other atoms, but they 

do affect the mass and the stability of the nucleus. 

o protons form the basis for the atom’s identity and the periodic properties of the 

elements. The periodic table lists the elements in order of increasing number of 

protons and atomic number. 

o 

electrons (valence electrons) are responsible for the bonding together of atoms 

to form and/or rearrange molecules by losing, gaining, or sharing electrons in 

chemical reactions. 

‣ Explain the periodic trends in atoms and elements such as atomic size, ionization 

potential, electro-negativity as a function of atomic number and electron configuration. 

‣ Know and apply principles of stoichiometry to balance chemical reactions, calculate 

limiting reagents, calculate molar concentrations and concentrations of solutions, 

determine empirical and molecular formulas. 

‣ Explain the differences between acids and bases, identify common acids and bases, 

and determine the concentration of hydronium and hydroxide ions. 

‣ Recognize that some atomic nuclei (radioactive substances) are unstable and will 

undergo spontaneous nuclear decay emitting particles and/or high energy wave-like 

radiation. Students will know that: 

‣ nuclear fission involves the decay of large nuclei into smaller nuclei with 

characteristic half-lives. 

‣ nuclear fusion is the joining of nuclei into a larger nucleus, accompanied by the release 

of large quantities of energy. Nuclear fusion in the stars creates all the elements in the 

universe beyond helium. 

‣ Describe how atoms and molecules can gain or lose energy only in discrete amounts 

as governed by their electron configuration. 

‣ Describe the motion of objects relative to a reference point in terms of position, 

displacement, distance, speed, velocity, acceleration, and time. 

‣ Know concepts of forces and energy and apply vector mathematics and conservation 

laws, such as energy and momentum, to describe one- and two-dimensional motion 

such as projectile motion, circular motion, and oscillating motion. 

‣ Describe and predict effects of forces such as elastic, gravitational, electric, magnetic, 

tension and compression on objects and on the motion of objects within a system. 

‣ Apply Newton’s three laws of motion to describe why: (a) objects undergo uniform 

motion, constant velocity, (b) objects accelerate, and (c) interacting objects experience 

equal and opposite forces. 

‣ Apply Newton’s Laws to determine the net force on an object when: (a) forces are 

balanced and (b) forces are unbalanced. 


‣ Describe collisions of objects as elastic or inelastic. Know that energy and momentum 

are conserved in elastic collisions, but only momentum is conserved in inelastic 

collisions. 

‣ Classify all the various forms of energy as either kinetic or potential. 

‣ Explain how energy may change form or be redistributed but the total quantity of 

energy is conserved. 

‣ Demonstrate that waves such as light, (e.g., sound, seismic, and water have energy 

and that waves can transfer energy when they interact with matter. 

‣ Apply the measureable properties of waves, such as wavelength, frequency, velocity, 

and amplitude, to describe mathematically the properties of materials, such as the 

index of refraction, reflectivity, diffraction patterns. 

‣ Calculate the wavelength of a wave as a function of the relative motion of the source 

and the observer. 

‣ Explain how Doppler Effect applies to the current understanding of the 

universe, redshift. 

‣ Summarize the historical development of scientific theories and ideas within the study 

of physical sciences. 

Life Science 

‣ Describe the composition, diversity, complexity, and interconnectedness of life 

on Earth. 

‣ Apply classification systems to describe the vast diversity of organisms and their 

degree of relatedness between them. 

‣ Apply fundamental concepts of heredity and evolution to understand the living world, 

the physical environment, and the interactions within and between them. 

‣ Explain that cells are the basic unit of structure and function of living organisms, that 

once life originated all cells come from pre-existing cells, and there are a variety of 

cell types. 

‣ Know that all cells: (a) are covered by a cell membrane that controls which materials 

can enter/leave the cell, (b) are composed of a small number of chemical elements— 

mainly carbon, but also hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. 

‣ Describe the structure, function, and interrelatedness of cell organelles. 

‣ Understand that the cell is a system that conducts a variety of functions associated 

with life as materials enter and leave the cell through the cell membrane. 

‣ Explain the characteristics of life as regulated by cellular processes, such as 

photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, cellular respiration, and describe the process of cell 

division and differentiation. 

‣ Relate the chemical basis of life to heredity, genetics, diversity, species survival, adapt 

ations, and extinction. 

‣ Describe the mechanisms for biological evolution such as natural selection, genetic 

drift, immigration, emigration and mutation. 

‣ Relate the diversity of species to the theory of evolution, and the kinship between 

organisms or species to the similarity in their DNA sequences. 

‣ Know and apply the structure and function of DNA and RNA in cells to explain the gen 

etic mechanisms for cellular genetics, inheritance, and gene mutations. Students will 

know that: 

o genetic information is coded in DNA molecules, passed from parents to 

offspring, and provides instructions for assembling protein molecules; 

o 

o 

the genetic code is virtually the same for all life forms; 

genes are segments of DNA molecules which can be altered via insertions, 

deletions, or substitutions of DNA segments. 


‣ Relate heredity of organisms to survival of populations. 

‣ Explain how living things interact within an ecosystem and with the environment 

at large. 

‣ Relate how biotic and abiotic global changes have occurred in the past and will 

continue to do so in the future. 

‣ Explain how human choices today will affect the quality and quantity of life on Earth. 

Earth and Space Science 

‣ Relate internal and external sources of energy in the Earth system to processes and 

cycles including water, rock and carbon cycles, dynamic processes and static 

conditions, and earth-changing effects of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, erosion, 

deposition of sediment, plate tectonics, and others. 

‣ Describe relationships among Earth, other planets, other objects in the solar system 

such as planets and their satellites, meteors, comets, asteroids, and reference stars 

in other solar systems, or relationships of gravity and orbital motion, gravity and tides, 

angle of sunlight and surface temperature, axial tilt and seasons. 

‣ Relate changes in form or distribution of matter to cyclic and finite nature of 

resources within the closed Earth system including solar energy, fossil fuels, effects 

of human activity on natural, physical, or chemical changes in atmospheric quality, 

hydrologic cycle, recycling of nutrients, generation of soils. 

‣ Describe the nuclear reactions whereby stars transform matter into energy, leading to 

the formation of all the elements in the universe and the composition of the galaxies. 

‣ Explain how the red shift provides evidence for the expansion of the universe and 

its age. 

‣ Explain that humans are an integral part of the Earth’s system and the choices 

humans make today impact natural systems in the future. 

‣ Summarize the historical development of scientific theoriess and ideas and describe 

emerging issues in the study of Earth and space sciences. 

Science and Technology 

‣ Evaluate scientific evidence critically and understand the relationship between 

science and technology. 

‣ Use technology to acquire, analyze, and communicate information. 

‣ Predict how human choices today will determine the quality and quantity of life 

on Earth. 

‣ Understand ethical issues related to technology use and operate within a Christian 

perspective and ethical framework. 

Theological Integration 

‣ Recognize that science plays a profound role in personal and social perspectives 

relating to natural resources, environmental quality, health, hazards, and global 

challenges utilizing the biblical directive to be good stewards from a scientific and 

Christian perspective. 

‣ Recognize that science is a human endeavor where people interpret scientific 

knowledge and ethical conduct based on historical context and their personal faith 

and beliefs. 

‣ Understand God’s revelation in such verses as: “Ever since the creation of the world 

His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived 

in the things that have been made.” [Rom 1:19-20] As well: Gen.1,2; Job 38- 

41; Psalm 19:1-6; Psalm 24:1-2. 


Advanced Placement Science Courses 

By close of Advanced Placement Chemistry: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Chemistry Course Description. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following five content areas outlined in 

the Course Description: 

o structure of Matter (Atomic theory and atomic structure, Chemical bonding) 

o states of Matter (Gases, Liquids and solids, Solutions) 

o reactions (Reaction types, Stoichiometry, Equilibrium, Kinetics, 

Thermodynamics) 

o 

o 

descriptive Chemistry (Relationships in the periodic table) 

laboratory (Physical manipulations; Processes and procedures; Observations 

and data manipulation; Communication, group collaboration, and the 

laboratory report) 

‣ The course emphasizes chemical calculations and the mathematical formulation 

of principles. 

‣ The course includes a laboratory component comparable to college-level chemistry 

laboratories. A hands-on laboratory component is required. Each student should 

complete a lab notebook or portfolio of lab reports. The Guide for the Recommended 

Laboratory Program is included in the Course Description. 

By close of Advanced Placement Biology: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Biology Course Description. 

‣ The course emphasizes the biological concepts as specified in the three overarching 

topics listed in the Topic Outline in the Course Description: 

o Molecules and Cells 

o Heredity and Evolution 

o Organisms and Populations 

‣ The course provides students with an opportunity to develop a conceptual framework 

for modern biology emphasizing: 

o an understanding of science as a process rather than an accumulation 

of facts; 

o recognition of evolution as the foundation of modern biological models 

and thought; 

o the integration of the general topics of biology through the eight major themes 

o 

as specified in the Course Description; 

and applications of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental 

and social concerns. 

‣ The course includes a laboratory component that fulfills all of the objectives of the 

recommended AP Biology labs as listed in the Course Description. 

By close of Advanced Placement Physics B: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Physics Course Description. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following five content areas outlined in 

the Course Description: 

o Newtonian mechanics 

o fluid mechanics and thermal physics 

o electricity and magnetism 

o waves and optics 

o atomic and nuclear physics 


‣ The course utilizes guided inquiry and student-centered learning to foster the 

development of critical thinking skills. 

‣ The course includes a laboratory component comparable to college-level physics 

laboratories, with a minimum of 12 student-conducted laboratory investigations 

representing a variety of topics covered in the course. A hands-on laboratory 

component is required. Each student should complete a lab notebook or portfolio of 

lab reports. 

By the close of Advanced Placement Environmental Science: 

‣ The Teacher has read the most recent AP Environmental Science Course Description. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following seven content areas outlined 

in the Course Description: 

o earth systems and resources 

o the living world 

o population 

o land and water use 

o energy resources and consumption 

o pollution 

o global change 

‣ The course provides students with the scientific principles, concepts, and 

methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world. The 

curriculum draws upon various scientific disciplines. 

‣ The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting information and 

experimental data, including mathematical calculations. 

‣ The course teaches students how to identify and analyze environmental problems, to 

evaluate the ecological and human health risks associated with these problems, and 

to critically examine various solutions for resolving or preventing them. 

‣ The course includes a laboratory and/or field investigation component. 



Social Studies 4 

Students acquire an awareness and understanding of the world, its people, and its history, while 

investigating ways the past has influenced the present and how it can impact the future. Within 

the diverse range of Christian perspective, students explore patterns of human and 

environmental interaction through history, geography, government, and economics. We seek to 

help students successfully and ethically evaluate and navigate a digital world. Students grow in 

their ability as Christian citizens to bring reasoned decision making to a democratic society, and 

a culturally diverse and fallen world. 

Content Standards 

Students explore the following broad 

content themes and topics: 

❖ History 

❖ Government 

❖ Economics 

❖ Geography 


Students work to master the following 

overarching skills: 

❖ Historical Thinking 

❖ Awareness of Time, Continuity, and Change 

❖ Geographical Awareness 

❖ Citizenship 

❖ Economic Awareness and Financial Literacy 

❖ Media Fluency 

❖ Information Fluency 

❖ Problem-Solving 

❖ Communication and Collaboration 


4 CHCA derives its social studies curriculum in part from the following: Ohio Academic Content Standards in Social Studies K-12 

revised June 2017. Skills articulated in the National Social Studies Standards http://www.socialstudies.org/ standards Skills tested 

on standardized tests including the Educational Record Bureau Comprehensive Test grades 1-8, the PLAN, ACT, PSAT, SAT, and 

College Board Advanced Placement European, U.S. History, Government and Politics; U.S., and Macro-Economics examinations. 



Competency: Historical Thinking 

Description: Students will work to master… 

‣ applying research methods associated with historical inquiry. 


‣ What is "history?" 

‣ How do we really know "what happened" when we weren't there to see it? 

‣ What is power? Where does power come from? 

‣ What makes some sources more reliable than others? 

‣ What does bias tell us about a time period? About the people who defined that time 

period? 



‣ History is an activity of the present that requires us to make meaning now of the 

"leftovers" of man's past events (artifacts, documents, art, archeological data, 

traditions, etc.). 

‣ "History" is inseparable from research. "Doing history" requires careful examination of 

the evidence of past events. Identifying bias, questioning the reliability of sources, 

checking written evidence against artifact evidence, and argumentation are all part of 

what it means to "do history." 

‣ Studying the past makes it possible for us to understand the human story across time, 

enabling them to analyze the causes and consequences of events and developments 

throughout history. 

Competency: Awareness of Time, Continuity, and Change 


‣ Locating themselves in space and time. 

‣ Building an awareness of sequence and learning to analyze the complex relationships 

between events. 


‣ What time is it? When are we? 

‣ How long is an "age?" An "epoch?" What separates one time-period from another? 

‣ What makes something "old?" 

‣ How much does our past determine our present? Our future? 

‣ Which models help us understand changes in human history? When do those models 

get in the way of our understanding? 


‣ What pieces of history show us the Hand of God at work in the world? How do we tell 

the difference between "man's story" and God's? 


Students will understand that... 

‣ While history is the story of man's actions in time, God takes an active role in human 

events. 

‣ Sequence matters when putting together the story of "what happened." 

‣ Given man's broken and fallen nature, history may not "repeat itself," but it often 

"rhymes." 

‣ There is a difference between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God. 

While God's redemption story is interwoven with human events, the believer's journey 

to the "New Jerusalem" diverges from the "progress" of the "City of Man." 

Competency: Geographical Awareness 

Description: Students will… 

‣ Study peoples, places, and environments in order to understand the relationship 

between human populations and the physical world. 

‣ Develop an understanding of spatial perspectives 

‣ Examine the relationships between people, places, and environments. 


‣ How does where we live affect how we live? 

‣ What makes people move? 

‣ How does location unite people? How does location divide? 


Students will understand that... 

‣ Geographic circumstances, environmental conditions, and the availability of resources 

affect everything from our daily routines, to cultural traditions, to the ways in which we 

relate to other peoples and groups. 

‣ Much of human history is characterized by migrations, many of which are sparked by, 

and produce, tumultuous chains of events. 

‣ Mass migrations can be related to changes in geography, climate, available 

resources, as well as social/political circumstances. They are also linked to and/or 

produce major changes in paradigm. 


Competency: Citizenship 

Description: Students will work to… 

‣ Build an understanding of the foundations of political thought and the development of 

various structures of power, authority, and government. 


‣ What are "rights?" Where do rights come from? 

‣ What is power? Where does power come from? 

‣ What does it mean to be part of a group? What do I gain by being in a group? What 

do I lose? 

‣ How do we balance my individual needs with the needs of the group? 

‣ Where am I a "citizen?" 

‣ How do I balance my role as an heir in the Kingdom of God with my citizenship 

rights/responsibilities on Earth? 



‣ One person's rights often come at the expense of the rights of others. 

‣ We depend on objective standards of right and wrong to balance the rights and needs 

of people in civil society. 

‣ We are "citizens" in multiple contexts—locally, national, digitally, globally—all of which 

carry different benefits as well as responsibilities. 

‣ The ultimate citizenship for Christ-followers is in the Kingdom of God, though we may 

be active and live out our lives as members of communities in this world. At times, 

those roles may be symbiotic or in conflict. 

Competency: Economic Awareness and Financial Literacy 


‣ Wrestle with the concepts of scarcity, want, and surplus in order to understand the 

imbalances of resource distribution, and that human desires often exceed the limits of 

resources available to them. 


‣ What makes something valuable? Why is everyone fighting over THAT thing? What's 

the connection between scarcity and value? 

‣ What are we making? How are we making it? Who's benefitting from it? 

‣ Where does inequality come from? Why do some people have more than others? 

‣ What responsibilities come with the resources I have? 

‣ What is "success" from a Christ-centered point-of-view? 




‣ Human desires often exceed the limited resources available to them. 

‣ Just as resources are scarce, distribution of those resources is unequal. Likewise, 

those who labor are usually not the direct beneficiaries of the goods and services they 

produce. 

‣ Having wealth begets influence, but also responsibility for others. 

Competency: Media Fluency 


‣ The use of various forms of media to build an awareness of how events in one part of 

the world influence other parts of the world. 


‣ What is the message of the video/film/song, etc? What points-of-view are we 

seeing/hearing? 

‣ What is the bias of the medium here? How does that bias affect the reliability of the 

message? The credibility of the source? 



‣ Art, music, film, video are artifacts of the viewpoints of a given time. Identifying pointof-view 

and bias in media gives us insight into historical contexts. 

Competency: Information Fluency 


‣ Skills in finding, analyzing, and interpreting various types of information sources. 


‣ What kinds of evidence do we have to help us discover "what happened?" What 

evidence are we missing? Where can go to we find the missing pieces? 

‣ What makes a piece of evidence reliable? What makes it relevant for what we're 

studying? 

‣ How do we know which sources speak for a given time period? 

‣ How do we know which sources are most accurate when authors or scholars 

disagree? 




‣ Some sources, whether documents, media, or artifacts, are more useful than others 

for discovering "what happened." The preponderance of a source does not necessarily 

indicate its importance within a given historical context. 

‣ Because the Internet has made available so many resources for studying any topic, 

discriminating between sources—judging their validity, their credibility—is more 

important than ever. 

‣ No source on its own, whether primary or secondary, tells the whole story of "what 

happened." 

Competency: Problem-solving 


‣ Analyze and critique political, social, and economic problems, historical models, and 

leadership decisions to question lines of thinking, argue positions, craft solutions, and 

consider alternative potential outcomes of human action as they explore cause-andeffect 

relationships, patterns, multiple causation, and irrational causes and 

consequences of human decisions. 


‣ What successes defined this time period/movement? What "mistakes" can we learn 

from? 

‣ What determines events or movements? How much of "history" is man's action vs. 

Accident? Forces of nature? Providence? 

‣ Which models help us understand changes in human history? When do those models 

get in the way of our understanding? 

‣ How do we decide what's "fair" when all sides are at fault? 



‣ Even the best plans are not guaranteed. Multiple variables, many of them beyond 

human control, affect the course of events. 

‣ Not all circumstances are "neat and tidy" cause-and-effect relationships. Quite often, 

movements and major events are the by-products of illogical or paradoxical 

circumstances that defy popular models and paradigms. 

‣ Personal biases, prejudices, and personality conflicts are among the factors that affect 

the decisions leaders make in real time, for better or for worse. 


Competency: Communication and Collaboration 


‣ Cultivate skill in collaborative discussion, argumentation, and writing while engaging 

social studies content. 


‣ How does my ability to speak and write affect my ability to lead and to serve? 

‣ What role does nonverbal language play in communication? 

‣ Why are some words more powerful than others? 



‣ Effective communication enhances leadership and service. 

‣ Multiple factors play an essential role in effective communication. 

‣ Words have power. 

Competency: Theological Integration 


‣ recognize the hand of God moving throughout history and in our surrounding world, 

using a Christian theological perspective to understand how the study of social studies 

and history affects the way we think, live and learn, discover and apply the role of a 

Christian citizen in a democratic society and global community, and apply what would 

be the spectrum of Christian theological perspective to current events. 


‣ How do I balance my role as an heir in the Kingdom of God with my citizenship 

rights/responsibilities on Earth? 

‣ What does "success" mean from a Christ-centered point-of-view? 

‣ What pieces of "history" show us the Hand of God at work in the world? How do we 

tell the difference between "man's story" and God's? 



‣ Given man's broken and fallen nature, history may not "repeat itself," but it often 

"rhymes." 

‣ There is a difference between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God. 

While God's redemption story is interwoven with human events, the believer's journey 

to the "New Jerusalem" diverges from the "progress" of the "City of Man." 


‣ The ultimate citizenship for Christ-followers is in the Kingdom of God, though we may 

be active and live out our lives as members of communities in this world. At times, 

those roles may be both symbiotic and in conflict. 



History 

‣ Arrange events on timelines organized by years, decades, and centuries. 

‣ Use historical events to show cause and effect relationships 

‣ Compare daily life in past and present communities showing changes over time. 

‣ Recognize how the actions and character of past and present historical figures in 

the US and world have made an impact on history. 

‣ Discern which actions by persons from history may or may not reflect 

biblical principles. 

Government 

‣ Recognize many important symbols and landmarks associated with the 

United States. 

‣ Recognize and demonstrate the interconnectedness of the United States national, 

state, and local systems of government their history, structure, function, 

and purpose. 

‣ Explain methods individuals and institutions used to create and enforce the rules 

in the world, community, school, and home. 

‣ Explain society's need for and consequences of violating 

both God’s and society’s rules and laws. 

Economics 

‣ Define scarcity, opportunity costs, entrepreneurship in contexts of local, national, 

and global economies in age-appropriate examples and identify choices that must 

be made by producers and consumers because of a scarcity of resources. 

‣ Identify factors of production used in producing goods and services both locally 

and through trade across our nation or globally. 

‣ See connections between service to the community and the cost and benefits and 

role as a Christian citizen. 

Geography 

‣ Locate places on a map including continents, countries, US states, major cities, 

oceans, and waterways using the title, key/legend, letter grids, linear scale, 

direction indicator, and cardinal directions, and measure distances on a map. 

‣ Use physical and political maps to explain distinctive characteristics 

and purposes. 

‣ Describe how humans depend on and adapt to their environment and in turn 

cause changes to the environment. 

‣ Explain ways in which places are distinctive because of their physical and 

cultural features. 


‣ Explain how Christians react and respond to the events of the past in many ways. 



‣ Use diagrams, graphs, and charts to interpret data, draw conclusions, and 

make predictions. 

‣ Conduct research using primary and secondary sources and synthesize data to 

compose reasoned presentations. 


History 

‣ Use a theological perspective to integrate information from history and other social 

science disciplines to understand the development of cultural, political, economic, 

and religious systems in the modern world. 

‣ Demonstrate knowledge of the significant persons and events of history; recognize 

the patterns of continuity and causes of change; hypothesize the influence of the 

past on the present including both the limitations and the opportunities made 

possible by decisions in the past. 

‣ Explain how historical context influences changes and processes 

‣ Identify appropriate similarities and/or differences between historical developments 

or processes. 

‣ Describe and understand the causes and effects of historical developments. 

‣ Identify and explain patterns of continuity and/or change over time. 

‣ Read analyze and synthesize primary and secondary sources accurately. 

‣ Create historical arguments supported by primary and secondary sources 

Government 

‣ Examine key documents in American history such as the U.S. Constitution and Bill 

of Rights; outline key provisions of the Constitution as a contract between the 

national government and the people of the United States. 

‣ Analyze governmental actions in terms of the fundamental principles of 

American democracy including constitutional prohibitions on the use of power. 

‣ Explain the types of powers in the United States Constitution including federalism, 

separation of powers, and checks and balances. 

‣ Evaluate the role of elections, representation, political parties, and special interest 

groups in facilitating the democratic process. 

‣ Examine the advantages and disadvantages of the differing types of government 

structures that exist in the world, and the specific political theories and heritage 

that led to the creation of American democracy. 

‣ Explain connections between the ideas of the Enlightenment and changes in 

relationships between citizens and their governments. 

‣ Explain how the US Government provides public services, redistributes income, 

regulates economic activity, and promotes economic growth and stability. 

‣ Analyze ways people achieve governmental change, including political action, 

social protest and revolution. 

‣ Explain how individual rights are relative, not absolute, and describe the balance 

between individual rights, the rights of others, and the common good. 

‣ Analyze changes over time of the US Constitution through post-Reconstruction 

amendments and Supreme Court decisions. 

Economics 

‣ Appreciate the importance of fiscal responsibility in his/her own life as well as in 

government policies of taxing and spending. 


‣ Compare/contrast the concepts of individual and aggregate supply and demand, 

government involvement, and market structure within traditional, command, and 

market economies, and understand how a scarcity of resources leads to economic 

choices made by individuals living in these systems. 

‣ Explain the use of a budget in making personal economic decisions and planning 

for the future. 

‣ Explain why incomes will differ in the labor market depending on supply and 

demand for skills, abilities and education levels 

‣ Describe the role of individuals as consumers, producers, savers, 

workers, investors; 

‣ Explain the consequences of the economic choices made by individuals and the 

tools which they use to manage their financial resources including budgets, 

savings, investments, credit, and philanthropy. 

‣ Describe and calculate how interest rates affect savers and borrowers 

Geography 

‣ Utilize geographic resources to find absolute and relative location, to discover and 

identify patterns of change and to understand the results of 

environmental interaction. 

‣ Understand the role geography plays in historical events, development of regions, 

cultural changes economic independence and geopolitical forces at play in the 

world. 

‣ Explain the unique diversity of the American society including immigration, 

migration, naturalization, discrimination, and affirmative action, and understand the 

consequences of specific geographic features. 


‣ Think critically and apply his/her own knowledge of historical events to 

understand the causes of current events and conflicts in the global community 

and evaluate responses to these events as to their congruence with a theological 

perspective and Christian citizenship. 


‣ Students demonstrates: civic literacy, financial and economic literacy, problem 

solving, communication, media literacy, global awareness and leadership. 


Advanced Placement Social Studies 

By the close of Advanced Placement European History: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP European History Course Description. 

‣ The course emphasizes relevant factual knowledge about European history from 

1450 to the present to highlight intellectual, cultural, political, diplomatic, social, 

and economic developments. 

‣ The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented 

in historical scholarship. 

‣ The course includes extensive instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide 

variety of primary sources, such as documentary material, maps, statistical 

tables, works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials. 

‣ The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and 

interpretive essays such as document-based questions (DBQ) and 

thematic essays. 

By the close of Advanced Placement United States History: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP United States History Course Descriptio 

n. 

‣ The course includes the study of political institutions, social and cultural 

developments, diplomacy, and economic trends in U.S. history. 

‣ The course uses themes and/or topics such as those listed in the Course 

Description, selected at the teacher's discretion, as broad parameters for 

structuring the course. The themes are designed to encourage students to think 

conceptually about the American past and to focus on historical change over time. 

The topic outline is suggested as a general guide for AP teachers in structuring 

their courses; it is not intended to be prescriptive of what teachers must teach. 

‣ The course teaches students to analyze evidence and interpretations presented in 

historical scholarship. 

‣ The course includes extensive instruction in analysis and interpretation of a wide 

variety of primary sources, such as documentary material, maps, statistical tables, 

works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials. 

‣ The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and 

interpretive essays such as document-based questions (DBQ) and 

thematic essays 

By the close of Advanced Placement Government and Politics - United States: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Government and Politics Course Descri 

ption. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following six topics outlined in the 

Course Description: 

o Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government 

o political beliefs and political behaviors 

o political parties, interest groups, and mass media 

o institutions of national government 

o public policy 

o civil rights and civil liberties 

‣ The course provides students with practice in analyzing and interpreting data and 

other information relevant to U.S. government and politics. 


‣ The course includes supplemental readings, including primary source materials, 

such as The Federalist Papers, and contemporary news analyses that strengthen 

student understanding of the curriculum. 

‣ The course requires students to answer analytical and interpretive free-response 

questions on a frequent basis. 

By the close of Advanced Placement Economics: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Economics Course Description. 

‣ The course provides instruction in each of the following four topics outlined in the 

Course Description: 

o basic economic concepts 

o the nature and functions of product markets 

o factor markets 

o market failure and the role of government 

‣ The course promotes understanding of economic decision making and its factors, 

such as marginal analysis and opportunity costs. 

‣ The course teaches how to generate, interpret, label, and analyze graphs, charts, 

and data to describe and explain economic concepts. 


Modern World Languages: Spanish 5 


Students at CHCA, through the study of world languages, will appreciate the unlimited 

capabilities that God has given all people for glorifying and serving Him through language. They 

will recognize that “the body of Christ is made up of people of faith, of all nations, all languages, 

all races.” Consequently, the inherent desire to know and serve His people by putting into 

practice Christian values, like empathy, brotherhood and peace will ultimately reveal itself to 

students as a lifelong, self-motivated quest for knowledge of and service to God for 

communicating eternal Truth through the target language. By engaging in intercultural Godcentered 

interaction and inquiry, students of Modern Languages will gain greater selfawareness, 

a critical perspective on their own culture in relation to other cultures, and the 

ability to discern universal truth. Students comprehend, analyze, and critique texts and media 

of excellence and demonstrate competence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing 

performances in Modern Languages, embracing many disciplines. Modern Language students 

will be encouraged to exercise initiative and leadership as well as to participate in cooperative 

learning and research. Students will be provided with educational opportunities beyond the 

school setting and will receive meaningful instruction, academic challenge and support. 

Standards and Core Competencies 


❖ Communication 

❖ Cultural Awareness 

❖ Making Connections, Comparisons, and Community Relationships 


Competency: Communication 


‣ Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of 

situations and for multiple purposes 

In Spanish: 

‣ Using Spanish to engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, 

exchange feelings, and opinions. 

5 CHCA derives its world language curriculum in part from the following: the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language 

http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3324 Skills articulated by College Board Advanced Placement Spanish Language 

and Composition examination. 


‣ Understanding and interpreting written and spoken Spanish from diverse media. 

‣ Presenting information and concepts to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety 

of topics. 


‣ Why does grammar matter? 

‣ How does someone communicate effectively? 

‣ What does authentic speech sound like? 



‣ knowing the structure and mechanics of a language will help facilitate meaning. 

‣ ideas can be communicated in multiple ways using the proficiency that they have 

acquired. 

‣ fluency is a continuum of increasing knowledge in a language. 

Competency: Cultural Awareness 


‣ Interacting with cultural competence and understanding 

In Spanish: 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of perspectives, traditions, and 

products of Hispanic countries. 


‣ How does language act as a lens for understanding culture? 

‣ Can culture be revealed without language? 

‣ Can culture and language be separated? 



‣ language is a product of and reflection of culture. 


Competency: Making Connections, Comparisons, and Community Relationships 


‣ Developing insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural 

competence. 

‣ Communicate and develop cultural awareness in order to participate in multilingual 

communities at home and around the world. 

‣ Making connections with other disciplines and acquiring information and diverse 

perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career related 

situations. 

‣ Making theological connections through study of world languages. 

In Spanish: 

‣ Reinforcing other content areas through the use of Spanish. 

‣ Acquiring information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints available only through 

Spanish and Hispanic culture. 

‣ Developing insight into the nature of language and culture through comparisons 

between the student’s own language and the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. 

‣ Use Spanish both within and beyond the school setting. 

‣ Show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using Spanish for personal enjoyment 

and enrichment. 

‣ To use Spanish in expressing faith through various forms of communication. 


‣ How do I relate to the world around me? 

‣ How does learning a language make me a better life long learner? 

‣ How will learning a language help me in understanding my native language and/or 

acquiring another language? 



‣ learning a second language will empower and equip them to be successful in our global 

community. 

‣ languages share common linguistic structures. 

‣ the acquisition of a second language can be salient in future professions. 


Benchmarks: Spanish 

Spanish language study must allow for multiple entry points because students studying Spanish 

will begin at varying grade levels and achieve proficiency determined in part by the length of 

study commensurate with their developmental stage and God-given talent for language 

learning. Language Acquisition Levels and the benchmarks describing what learners know and 

can demonstrate in speaking, listening, reading, and writing form the organizing principle of the 

CHCA Spanish Language Curriculum. The use of Language Acquisition Levels as threshold 

benchmarks has its foundation in the curriculum standards of the American Council of Teachers 

of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) as well as the Ohio Model Curriculum for World Languages. 

Lower School Spanish: Acquisition Level I 

Language Acquisition Level I is characterized by the following: students can communicate 

on very familiar topics using a variety of words and phrases that they have practiced and 

memorized. In the target language, students will be able to greet people in a polite way, 

introduce self and others and answer a variety of simple questions and communicate basic 

information about self, people they know and their everyday life. By the end of Level I, 

Students will feel confident enough to attempt and/or continue speaking the target language 

without much apprehension. 

In Language Acquisition Level I (PreK-4), students will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Identifying objects and people in everyday life including home, school, family, and 

animals. 

‣ Describing objects and people in everyday life including likes and dislikes. 

‣ Describing settings based on time, place, date, colors, numbers, and weather. 

‣ Discussing common daily activities including school routine, table setting, weather, and 

schedule. 

‣ Understanding and responding to basic greetings, farewells, and basic questions. 

‣ Comprehending and expressing feelings. 

‣ Using some verbs in first person form. 

Hispanic culture 

‣ Explaining the activities associated with a few Hispanic holidays and Hispanic 

Heritage in the United States. 

‣ Recognizing and singing lullaby songs and Christian songs native to Latin America. 

‣ Discussing preparation of typical Latin American foods and meal times. 

Connections 

‣ Reciting Bible verses in song and reading format. 

‣ Using Spanish language for cross-curricular activities. 

‣ Listing practices observed in a video of a festival or holiday celebrated in the target 

culture. 

‣ Participating in or simulating age-appropriate cultural activities such a games, holiday 

or birthday celebrations, storytelling and dramatizations. 

‣ Observing, identifying, and/or imitating simple patterns of behavior or interactions in 

various settings such as family and the community. 


‣ Listing and identifying practices observed in a video/magazine article that are 

outcomes of perspectives of Hispanic culture. 

Comparisons 

‣ Identifying and comparing common American and Hispanic topics such as food, 

weather, and family. 

‣ Via the natural approach noticing structural differences between English language and 

Spanish language word forms, grammar, idioms, syntax. 

‣ Differentiating between the Spanish and English alphabet. 

Communities 

‣ Explaining the benefits of learning Spanish as a second language. 

‣ Acknowledging the importance, growth of the Hispanic population in the United States. 

‣ Recognizing and discussing the impact and importance of using Spanish within our 

community. 

Lower School Spanish: Acquisition Level II 

Students in Language Acquisition Level II use a series of sentences and re-combinations of 

learned words, phrases, and expressions with frequency of errors proportionate to the 

complexity of the communicative task. As students enter Level II, students begin to create 

new combinations of the language learned in Level I; messages are understandable, but 

some patterns of error may occur with full comprehension. 

In Language Acquisition Level II (Grades 5-6), students will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Describing varying emotional states and execute usage of gustar-type verbs 

in conjunction with emotions. 

‣ Understanding common activities and discussing their relative importance with regard 

to likes and dislikes. 

‣ Identifying family members with regard to physical and personality characteristics. 

‣ Differentiatv and discussing professions and occupations. 

‣ Discussv special and common places, including home and community. 

‣ Understanding the difference between masculine and feminine articles in the singular 

and plural form. 

‣ Communicating in complete sentences using article, noun and adjective agreement 

while describing clothing and accessories. 


‣ Identifying vocabulary for important sports and their components in Hispanic countries. 

‣ Being exposed to the richness and diversity of cultures within the Hispanic world. 

Connections 

‣ Recite passages from the Bible. 

Comparisons 

‣ Continue to compare syntax of Spanish and English languages. 


Communities 

‣ Pray simple prayers. 

‣ Sing praise songs popular in Hispanic culture. 

Upper School Spanish: Acquisition Level I 

At Language Acquisition Level I when entry is at grade 9 into Spanish I. 

Spanish I and Spanish II are at Acquisition Level I. Students will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Expressing preferences in everyday situations in Spanish. 

‣ Expressing information for place, date, and time. 

‣ Ordering food and beverages for self and others. 

‣ Using basic vocabulary to name assorted objects in everyday environment, school 

subjects and to identify people. 

‣ Discussing the school schedule, including days and times of classes, teachers, and 

class preferences. 

‣ Describing family members and relationships among them. 


‣ Exchanging essential information such as greetings and leave takings using culturally 

appropriate gestures and oral expressions. 

‣ Giving and following simple instructions in order to participate in age-appropriate 

activities. 

‣ Learning about and participating in age-appropriate cultural practices such as games, 

sports, and entertainment. 

Connections 

‣ Demonstrate an understanding using Spanish about concepts learned in other subject 

areas including weather, math facts, measurements, animals, or geographical 

concepts. 

‣ Comprehend main ideas in age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate short 

conversations or narratives including stories based on familiar Christian themes. 

Comparison: 

‣ Cite and use examples of words in English borrowed from Spanish and pose guesses 

about why languages borrow words. 

‣ Realize that cognates enhance comprehension of spoken and written language and 

name some commonly occurring cognates in Spanish. 

‣ Report differences and similarities between the sound and writing systems of their 

own language and Spanish. 

‣ Use media and the library as sources of demonstrations for Spanish and the Hispanic 

culture. 

Communities 

‣ Ask and respond to simple questions about such topics as family, school events, 

secular and religious practices in person or in letters, e-mail, or using audio and video 

tapes. 

‣ Play sports or games from the Hispanic Culture. 


‣ Plan real or imaginary travel to a Hispanic Country. 

‣ Attend or view via media, cultural events and social activities. 

‣ Listen to music, sing songs, or play musical instruments typical of the Hispanic culture. 

Upper School Spanish: Acquisition Level II 

At the close of Language Acquisition Level II, when entry is at grade 9 into Spanish I. Able 

students complete Spanish II at Language Acquisition Level II. Students will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Talking about past experiences and ask someone about his or her past experiences. 

‣ Giving directions to a place. 

‣ Describing weather conditions. 

‣ Using language that would obtain and pay for a hotel room. 

‣ Understanding written or oral directions to a place. 

‣ Understanding written or oral descriptions of past events. 

‣ Listening to and understanding a native speaker who is talking about hobbies and 

daily routines. 

‣ Reading and understanding written descriptions about familiar topics from magazines 

and newspapers. 


‣ Discussing and analyzing patterns of behavior typical of people native to the Hispanic 

culture. 

Connections 

‣ Using a variety of methods to convey information about the Hispanic culture through 

the use of the internet, songs, maps, speakers, and other means. 

Comparisons 

‣ Comparing patterns of behavior in an English-speaking home with that in the Hispanic 

culture. 

‣ Comparing how various linguistic elements are expressed in English and Spanish. 

Communities 

‣ Reading simple materials and/or use media from Spanish and the Hispanic 

culture for inspiration and enjoyment, such as Spanish Bible. 

‣ Having opportunities to serve on a mission trip, local outreach projects, etc. 

Upper School Spanish: Acquisition Level III 

Students in Language Acquisition Level III use sentences, series of sentences, and fluid 

sentence-length and paragraph-length messages with frequency of errors proportionate to the 

complexity of the communicative task; students produce and comprehend fluid sentence and 

paragraph-length messages, but as the complexity of the task or message increases, errors 

and hesitation become more frequent. 


At close of Language Acquisition Level III, when entry is at grade 9 into Spanish I, students 

will demonstrate all previous benchmarks from Levels I and II and in addition the student will: 

Communication 

‣ Exchange information about personal events and memorable experiences orally and 

in writing referring to present, past and future events. 

‣ Acquire goods or information through interaction and negotiation. 

‣ Ask for and give instructions to perform a specific task. 

‣ Express preferences concerning leisure activities and current events. 

‣ Initiate, sustain, and close a conversation on a variety of topics. 

‣ Respond, both orally and in writing, to a variety of situations by creatively combining 

and recomb ining vocabulary and structures to supply facts and opinions. 

‣ Understand the main ideas and significant details of live and recorded discussions, 

narratives, and presentations. 

‣ Read and respond to Biblical passages in Spanish. 


‣ Know basic cultural beliefs and perspectives of the Hispanic culture. 

‣ Compare cultural and religious beliefs of student’s own culture and Hispanic culture. 

‣ Identify and discuss patterns of behavior typical of the student’s Hispanic peer group. 

‣ Understand the main ideas and significant details in authentic written materials 

such as newspapers, magazines, advertisements, and age-appropriate literary 

texts. 

‣ Derive new information and knowledge from authentic texts by reading and listening. 

Connections 

‣ Compare various linguistic elements of the Spanish language to one’s own. 

‣ Begin to see similarities between the Hispanic culture and one’s own. 

‣ Comprehend main ideas in age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate short 

conversations or narratives including stories based on familiar and Christian themes. 

Comparisons 

‣ Report differences and similarities between the sound and writing systems of one’s 

own language and the Spanish language. 

‣ Gain knowledge about the Hispanic culture from a variety of print and electronic 

resources. 

‣ Recognize that idiomatic expressions reflect the Hispanic culture and that phrases 

have a meaning larger than individual word equivalencies. 

‣ Begin to use various media from the Hispanic culture for information and 

entertainment that is age appropriate. 

‣ Use media and the library as sources of demonstrations for Spanish language and 

Hispanic culture. 

Communities 


secular and religious practices in person or in writing, using letters, e-mail, or 

audio/video tapes. 

‣ Read simple materials and/or use media from the Spanish language and Hispanic 

culture for inspiration and enjoyment, such as the Spanish Bible. 

‣ Attend or view via media, cultural events and social activities. 


‣ Listen to music, sing songs, or play musical instruments from the Hispanic culture. 

‣ Identify career options requiring proficiency in Spanish language and sensitivity to the 


Upper School Spanish: Acquisition Level IV 

Students in Language Acquisition Level IV use sentences, a series of sentences, and fluid 

sentence and paragraph-length, and essay-length messages with some patterns of errors 

that do not interfere with meaning; students convey messages with some patterns of 

grammatical errors that do not interfere with meaning. A learner’s awareness of culturally 

appropriate language, behavior, and gesture is evident in interpersonal communication. 

Language Acquisition Level IV is achieved by close of Spanish IV and Advanced 

Placement Spanish Language and Composition. The student will: 

Communication 

‣ Comprehend formal and informal spoken Spanish. 

‣ Acquire vocabulary and grasp language structure to allow easy, accurate reading of 

newspaper and magazine articles, as well as modern literature in Spanish. 

‣ Compose expository passages. 

‣ Express ideas orally with accuracy and fluency. 


‣ Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of perspectives, practices, and products 

of Hispanic countries including cultural implications in a reading text; patterns of 

behavior typical of a Hispanic peer group; information derived from authentic texts. 

Connections 

‣ Reinforce other content areas through the study of Spanish such as school subjects of 

literature, social studies, and the arts using Spanish language to discuss these 

concepts. 

‣ Acquire information and recognize distinctive viewpoints available only through 

Spanish and the Hispanic culture such as comparing various linguistic elements of 

Spanish. 

Comparisons 

‣ Report differences and similarities between the sound and writing systems of one’s 

own language and the Spanish language. 

‣ Gain knowledge about the Hispanic culture from a variety of print and electronic 

resources. 

‣ Recognize that idiomatic expressions reflect the Hispanic culture and that phrases 

have a meaning larger than individual word equivalencies. 

‣ Begin to use various media from the Hispanic culture for information and 

entertainment that is age appropriate. 

‣ Use media and the library as sources of demonstrations for Spanish language and 



Communities 


secular and religious practices in person or in writing, using letters, e-mail, or 

audio/video tapes. 

‣ Read simple materials and/or use media from the Spanish language and Hispanic 

culture for inspiration and enjoyment, such as the Spanish Bible. 

Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Composition 

By the close of Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Composition: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Spanish Course Description. 

‣ The teacher uses Spanish almost exclusively in class and encourages students to do 

likewise. 

‣ The course provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of a thirdyear 

college course in Spanish language. Instructional materials, activities, 

assignments, and assessments are appropriate to this level. 

‣ Instructional materials include a variety of authentic audio and/or video recordings that 

develop students' listening abilities. 

‣ Instructional materials include authentic written texts, such as newspaper and 

magazine articles, literary texts, and other nontechnical writings that develop students' 

reading abilities. 

‣ The course provides students with regular opportunities, in class or in a language 

laboratory, to develop their speaking skills in a variety of settings, types of discourse, 

topics, and registers. 

‣ The course provides instruction and frequent opportunities to write a variety of 

compositions in Spanish. 

‣ The course provides frequent opportunities for students to integrate the four language 

skills through the use of authentic materials. 


Modern World Languages: Mandarin Chinese 6 




‣ Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of 

situations and for multiple purposes 

In Mandarin Chinese: 

‣ Use the target language (hereafter TL) to engage in conversations, provide and obtain 

information, exchange feelings, and opinions. 

‣ Understand and interpret written and spoken language from diverse media. 

‣ Present information and concepts to an audience of listeners of readers on a variety of 

topics. 




‣ What does authentic speech sound like? 





acquired. 




‣ Interacting with cultural competence and understanding 


‣ Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of perspectives, practices, and products 

of other countries. 




6 CHCA derives its Mandarin Chinese Language curriculum in part from American Council of Teachers of Foreign Language 

http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3324 Skills articulated for study from the College Board Advanced Placement 

Mandarin Chinese Language examination. 








‣ Developing insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural 

competence. 

‣ Communicate and develop cultural awareness in order to participate in multilingual 

communities at home and around the world. 

‣ Making connections with other disciplines and acquiring information and diverse 

perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career related 

situations. 

‣ Making theological connections through study of world languages. 


‣ Reinforce and acquire knowledge of other disciplines through TL. 

‣ Acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints available only through 

TL and target culture (hereafter TC). 

‣ Develop insight into the nature of language and culture through comparisons. 

‣ Use the TL both within and beyond the school setting. 

‣ Appreciate the capabilities God has given to all peoples of glorifying and serving Him 

through the gift of language. 









community. 




Benchmarks: Mandarin Chinese 

Lower School Mandarin Chinese 

By close of Introductory Mandarin Chinese (Grade 6) the student will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Practicing phrases that include greetings, name, age, nationality, school, family, 

location, months, days of week, fruits, foods and meals. 

‣ Listening to native speakers. 

‣ Practicing speaking, using pinyin order. 

‣ Reading and recognizing words, phrases, and sentences in pinyin and characters. 

‣ Practicing writing from traditional and some simplified Chinese characters. 

Culture 

‣ Learning about the traditions of Festivals and celebrations such as Moon Festival, 

Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival. 

‣ Taking part in activities such as Chinese knotting, practicing calligraphy and 

pictographs, using chop sticks, hearing Chinese traditional musical instruments, 

learning about and seeing examples of Chinese sports. 

‣ Seeing artifacts and study values such as the Great Wall of China, four treasures of 

study, four inventions of ancient China. 

Comparisons 

‣ Hearing about numbers in the context of un/lucky. 

‣ Comparing United States holidays and Chinese New Year. 

‣ Comparing family systems. 

Communities: 

‣ Practicing conversations with neighbors. 

‣ Participatv in a Church Christmas celebration. 

‣ Enacting aspects of the Chinese New Year. 

Upper School Mandarin Chinese 

Chinese I: 

Students study Chinese I A in grade seven and Chinese I B in grade eight or study Chinese 

I as a one-year course in high school. Students in Chinese I work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Grade 7 level I A includes greeting, name, age, nationality, school, family, location, 

months and days of week. 

‣ Grade 8 level I B includes classroom objects, fruits, colors, food and meals, currency, 

“Do you know him?” making a phone call, telling time. 

Culture 

‣ Recognizing the tradition and facets of Chinese Moon Festival, U.S. Thanksgiving, 

Chinese New Year, Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. 


Comparisons 

‣ Locating places on the China map, recognizing the Chinese school system, family 

system, name places in the family house and learning about the Chinese living style. 

Communities 

‣ Practicing conversations with neighbors, Christian Church celebrations, Chinese New 

Year. 

Chinese II 

By close of Chinese II the student will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Recognizing and count currency, name clothes, receiving and giving directions, talk 

about sports seasons, name transportation, name body parts, converse using 

situations such as borrowing the car, party invitation, not feeling well, rent an 

apartment. 

Culture 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of perspectives, practices, and products 

of China and Chinese speaking cultures. 

Connections 

‣ Reinforcing and acquiring knowledge of other disciplines through Mandarin Chinese, 

such as the study of literature, media, advertisements, and others. 

‣ Acquiring information and recognizing the distinctive viewpoints available only through 

Mandarin Chinese and the Chinese culture. 

Comparisons 

‣ Developing insight into the nature of language and culture through comparisons. 

Communities 

‣ Using Mandarin Chinese both within and beyond the school setting. 

Chinese III 

By close of Chinese III the student will work to master: 

Communication: 

Three Modes of Communication for the intermediate learner [from ACTFL performance 

standards]: The intermediate learner requires instruction gradually adding more sophisticated 

vocabulary and grammatical structures, helping learners get ready for advanced Chinese 

study by introducing formal and written expressions and increasing students’ “media literacy.” 

Instruction provides exposure to common Chinese idioms and the stories behind them, and 

includes texts written in the style of newspaper, magazines, and Internet news articles: 

‣ Interpersonal 

‣ Interpretive 

‣ Presentational 

Six Domains of Performance 

‣ Comprehensibility (How well is the student understood?) 

‣ Comprehension (How well does the student understand?) 

‣ Language Control (How accurate is the student's language?) 

‣ Vocabulary Usage (How extensive and applicable is the student's language?) 


‣ Communication Strategies (How does the student maintain communication?) 

‣ Cultural Awareness (How is the student’s cultural understanding reflected in 

communication?) 

Culture, Connections, Comparisons, Communities 

‣ Moving to a New Place 

‣ Experiencing Culture And the Arts 

‣ Asking for Directions 

‣ Hospitality 

‣ My Trip to China 

‣ Opening a Bank Account 

‣ Traveling and Visas 

‣ Chinese Cinema 

‣ Fitness and Health 

‣ A Vacation in China 

Advanced Placement Mandarin Chinese 

By close of Advanced Placement Mandarin Chinese: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Chinese Language and Culture Course 

Description. 

‣ The course prepares students to demonstrate their level of Chinese proficiency across 

the three communicative modes: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational, as 

articulated in Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century 

(Standards); and at the Intermediate level, as articulated in the ACTFL Performance 

Guidelines for K-12 Learners. (For Standards descriptions, see the Standards 

Executive Summary. For Intermediate level performance descriptions, see ACTFL 

Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners.) 

‣ Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (.pdf/40KB) ACTFL 

Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners 

‣ In addition to communication, the course also addresses the Standards' other four 

goals: cultural competence, connections to other school disciplines, comparisons 

between Chinese language and culture and those of the learners, and the use of the 

language within the broader communities beyond the traditional school environment. 

‣ The teacher uses Chinese almost exclusively in class and encourages students to do 

likewise. 

‣ Language instruction frequently integrates a range of Chinese cultural content that 

exposes students to perspectives broader than their immediate environment, for 

example, the fundamental aspects of daily life in China, Chinese family and societal 

structures, and national and international issues. 

‣ Assessments are frequent, varied, and explicitly linked to the Standards' goal areas. 

Prior to assigning an assessment task, teachers share with their students the criteria 

against which their performances will be evaluated. 

‣ The teacher chooses from among both conventional print and aural materials such as 

textbooks, audiovisual materials, and Web-based content designed for language 

learning. They also make use of materials generally used by native Chinese speakers, 

such as print and Web-based texts; animated computer programs; and video-, CD-, 

and DVD-based products. Teachers scaffold students' experiences with these texts, 

particularly those that would normally be considered beyond the grasp of high school 


students. 

‣ The course teaches students to develop both communication and language learning 

strategies, such as inferring meaning either through sociocultural context or linguistic 

features. 

‣ The teacher plans and implements structured cooperative learning activities to support 

ongoing and frequent interpersonal interaction, and employs a range of instructional 

strategies to meet the diverse needs of his or her learners. 

‣ The course provides students with opportunities to develop both Chinese handwriting 

skills and word processing skills in Hanyu Pinyin or Bopomofo. 


Classical World Languages 7 


Through the study of classical languages students appreciate the unlimited capabilities 

that God has given all people for glorifying and serving Him through language. Students 

enter classical language study through reading ancient texts and the tools of listening 

and writing are used to improve reading. Students become acquainted with ancient 

cultures through written texts and this communication through the classical language 

brings greater understanding of modern-day core academic subjects: English rhetoric, 

literature, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students make comparisons 

between the classical language and the structure and vocabulary of English. Students 

come to understand and appreciate classical influences on today’s world. Students’ 

facility in reading classical texts aids in understanding the Bible and the Greco-Roman 

world. Classical language students learn to study deeply and to organize complex sets 

of data. They are encouraged to exercise initiative and leadership as well as to 

participate in cooperative learning. Students are provided with educational opportunities 

beyond the school setting. 



❖ Communication 

❖ Cultural Awareness 

❖ Making Connections, Comparisons, and Community Relationships 



Description: Students in Latin, Biblical Hebrew, or Classical Greek will work to 

master… 

‣ Read, understand, and interpret texts in the target language (hereafter TL). 

‣ Speak, listen, and write in the TL as part of the language learning process. 




‣ What does authentic speech sound like? What does it look like in an ancient language? 

7 CHCA derives its Classical Languages curriculum in part from: Standards for Classical Language Learning from the American 

Classical League and the American Philological Association and College Board Advanced Placement Latin: Vergil examination. 






acquired. 



Description: Students classical languages will work to master… 

‣ Demonstrate an understanding of the perspectives and products of the Target Culture 

[hereafter TC] as revealed in the practices and artifacts, including texts, of the TL 

cultures 









Description: Students in classical languages will work to master… 

‣ Reinforce and acquire knowledge of other disciplines through TL. 

‣ Expand knowledge through reading and study of the ancient culture. 

‣ Develop insight into their own language and culture through study of the TL and TC. 

‣ Increase knowledge of their own language. 

‣ Compare and contrast their own culture to the ancient culture. 

‣ Participate in wider communities of language and culture within and beyond the school 

setting. 

‣ Use knowledge of the TL in a multilingual world. 

‣ Use knowledge of the TC in a world of diverse cultures. 

‣ Read passages in the TL derived from the Bible. 

‣ Demonstrate knowledge of comparisons of culture in the TC to the history accounted in 

the Bible. 










community. 



Benchmarks: Latin, Hebrew, or Greek 

In the beginning level of instruction, students will work to master: 

Communication 

‣ Reading words, phrases, and simple sentences and associating them with pictures, 

and/or other words, phrases and simple sentences. 

‣ Demonstrating reading comprehension by answering simple questions in Latin, Greek, 

Hebrew, or English about short passages in the TL. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of vocabulary, basic inflectional systems, and syntax 

appropriate to their reading level. 

‣ Recognizing and reproducing sounds of the TL. 

‣ Responding appropriately to simple questions, statements, commands, or non-verbal 

stimuli. 

‣ Singing songs in the TL. 

‣ Writing simple phrases and sentences in the TL. 

Culture 

‣ Demonstrating basic knowledge of daily life in the TC. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of noteworthy persons, facts of history and geography of 

the ancient world. 

‣ Identifying principal deities and heroes by name, deeds, spheres of influence. 

‣ Recognizing basic architectural features and art forms of the TC. 

Connections 

‣ Using knowledge of the TL to understand the specialized vocabulary in such fields as 

modern- day government and politics. 

‣ Recognizing numerals and vocabulary associated with counting, particularly for Latin. 

‣ Acquiring information about the Greco-Roman world by reading passages of Latin or 

Greek with a culturally authentic setting. 

‣ Recognizing plots and themes of Greco-Roman myths in the literature of other 

cultures. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of the geography of the ancient world and connect it to the 

modern world. 

‣ Reading passages in the TL derived from the Bible. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of comparisons of culture in the TC to the history accounted 

in the Bible. 

Comparisons 

‣ Demonstrating a basic knowledge of Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, suffixes by 


ecognizing them in English words of Latin or Greek origin. Seeing Biblical Hebrew 

derivatives in English. 

‣ Understanding some Latin, Greek, or Biblical Hebrew phrases, mottoes, and 

abbreviations used in English. 

‣ Comparing and contrasting the language patterns and grammar of the TL to the 

structure and grammar of English. 

‣ Recognizing Greco-Roman elements of architecture in features of familiar buildings. 

‣ Comparing, contrasting aspects of their own public and private lives to those of theTC. 

‣ Comparing and contrasting themes and heroes of TL literature to their own folklore 

and modern-day culture. 

Communities 

‣ Recognizing the influence of the TL on the specialized language of professional fields 

and use in the media. 

‣ Recognizing from study of the ancient world that cultural diversity has been an integral 

feature of society from antiquity 

By close of the intermediate level of instruction (including Latin I and II), students will work to 

master: 

Communication 

‣ Reading and understanding passages in the TL composed for acquisition of content 

and language skills. 

‣ Reading and understanding, with appropriate assistance, passages in the TL adapted 

or unadapted from original authors. 

‣ Recognizing figures of speech, style of authors. 

‣ Demonstrating reading comprehension by interpreting the meaning of passages they 

read. 

‣ Reading TL aloud with accurate pronunciation, phrasing, voice inflection, and imitating 

models they have heard. 

‣ Responding appropriately to questions, statements, commands, and other stimuli. 

‣ Writing phrases and sentences in the TL. 

Culture 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of the daily and life and thought of the TC. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of the people and facts of the TC, history and political life. 

‣ Relating their reading of selected texts, literary and non-literary, adapted and 

unadapted, to understand the TC. 

Connections 

‣ Recognizing and making connections with the TL terminology in modern day sciences, 

history, social sciences, and professions, and to literature and artistic achievement. 

‣ Acquiring information about the ancient world and TC by reading adapted or selected 

TL sources. 

‣ Reading passages in the TL derived from the Bible. 

‣ Demonstrating knowledge of comparisons of culture in the TC to the history accounted 

in the Bible. 


Comparisons 

‣ Demonstrating the relationship of TL words to their derivatives and cognates in 

English. 

‣ Using wider range of vocabulary based on study of derivatives and cognates. 

‣ Comparing and contrasting the language patterns and grammar of the TL to structure 

and grammar of English. 

‣ Identifying elements in contemporary art and literature that have a basis in the ancient 

world. 

‣ Reflecting on classical influence on the political institutions, law and history of their 

own culture. 

‣ Recognizing in reading of modern literature themes and ideas of the ancient world. 

Communities 

‣ Using current technology to communicate about classical language and ancient 

culture. 

‣ Seeing the connection between their study of classical language and careers. 

‣ Comparing similar issues of cultural differences between the TC and modern culture. 

Advanced Placement Latin: Vergil 

By close of the advanced level of instruction: 

‣ The teacher has read the most current AP Latin Course Description. 

‣ The course is structured to enable students to complete the entire required reading list 

(as delineated in the AP Latin Course Description). 

‣ The course gives students frequent opportunities to practice reading and translating 

as literally as possible from Latin into English the required passages from Vergil's 

Aeneid. All required passages are read in Latin; the entire Aeneid is read in English. 

‣ The course gives students frequent opportunities to practice written analysis and 

critical interpretation of Vergil's Aeneid, including appropriate references to the use of 

stylistic and metrical techniques by Vergil. 

‣ The course examines the historical, social, cultural, and political context of Vergil's 

Aeneid. 

‣ The course provides frequent practice in reading Latin at sight. 



Health 

As a result of a CHCA health education, students will make informed decisions within a 

Christian perspective about personal, community, and global health issues. Students receive 

instruction in mental, physical, social, and spiritual health. Students are encouraged and guided 

to develop positive self-esteem, to accept themselves and others, to handle stress, to solve 

problems, and to exercise leadership. By learning about body systems, nutrition, exercise and 

by practicing physical activities students embrace health allied to physical fitness as a lifelong 

goal. Social health includes working within diverse relationships to share feelings with 

friends, family, and peers. Spiritual health places Christ at the center of a Christian’s life. 

Students are encouraged to seek physical, mental, and social challenges in life utilizing faithinformed, 

responsible choices. 

Health Standards and Core Competencies 


❖ Mental and Emotional Wellness 

❖ Physical Wellness 

❖ Social Wellness 

❖ Spiritual Health 


Competency: Mental and Emotional Wellness 


‣ Explaining key elements to maintain mental and emotional health. 

‣ Recognizing key elements to maintain and promote personal health. 

‣ Recognizing aspects of substance use and abuse. 

‣ Recognize key elements to maintain and promote personal health. 

‣ Locating the availability and list effective use of health services (including counseling 

resources and mental health services), products, and information. 


‣ What are healthy levels of stress? 

‣ What are my “escapes” from life pressures? What’s the difference between an escape 

and an addiction? How do I know if my escapes are getting in my way? 

‣ Who do I go to when I have too much to deal with? 



‣ Some levels of stress can be helpful for us to work effectively, but we need strategies 


for coping with high levels of stress that can be linked to health problems. 

‣ Addiction can take many forms, but often begins as a way to cope with problems 

without resolving those problems in healthy ways. 

‣ We have a number of resources available to help students build skill in dealing with 

life pressures, including teachers, counselors, and support staff, as well as therapists 

and professionals in the community. 

Competency: Physical Wellness 


‣ Identifying how the fitness components and the principals of exercise can improve 

fitness. 

‣ Recognizing the value of the positive outcomes of physical activity. 

‣ Recognizing aspects of substance use and abuse, including opioid abuse and 

problems related to the opioid epidemic. 

‣ Explain essential concepts about the prevention and control of disease. 

‣ Explain practices concerning injury prevention and safety. 


‣ What is the difference between health, related fitness, and performance related 

fitness? 

‣ What can we do to be physically active? 

‣ What is determining my eating habits? What does eating well look like? 

‣ What are my “escapes” from life pressures? What’s the difference between an escape 

and an addiction? How do I know if my escapes are getting in my way? 



‣ Fitness education and assessment will help students understand, improve, and/or 

maintain their physical well-being. 

‣ Engaging in physical activity is important to our mental and physical wellness and 

supports a healthy lifestyle. 

‣ Each of us is uniquely made, and “being fit” does not look the same to each individual. 

Competency: Social Wellness 


‣ Explaining key elements to maintain mental and emotional health. 

‣ Locating the availability and list effective use of health services (including counseling 

resources and mental health services), products, and information. 

‣ Demonstrate in conversation the relationship between individual health and the 

quality of relationships with others, including friends and family. 



‣ Who are my friends? 

‣ What does it mean to be part of a group? 

‣ What do healthy relationships look like? 

‣ How do I understand personal boundaries and respect the space of others? 



‣ The choices I make affect the people around me, and they affect the quality of my 

relationships. 

‣ Maintaining healthy relationships is part of God’s plan for my life. 

Competency: Spiritual Health 


‣ Seeking total health for self and others through recognizing God’s plan for human life, 

and accepting responsibility for personal decisions and actions. 


‣ How do people see Jesus in me as part of our interactions? 

‣ How are my choices related to my spiritual health? The spiritual health of those 

around me? 

‣ To what extent do I control the factors bombarding my day? To what extent do they 

control me? How do I cope with those factors to achieve balance? 



‣ The choices I make on a daily basis affect not only my health, but the health of those I 

am in community with. 

‣ True spiritual health, and health overall, comes from embracing the freedom that Christ 

promises, and by using that freedom to live out His love for others (Galatians 5). 


By close of grade 6, students will work to master the following skills: 

‣ Explain the biblical truth that man was created in the image of God. 

‣ See the family and parents structured by God as a family to provide for the child’s heal 

th and safety. 

‣ Know the body grows and needs care to remain healthy. 


‣ Identify the five sense organs and how these allow knowledge of the world. 

‣ Identify parts of circulatory, digestive and excretory systems and their functions. 

‣ Use the food pyramid to classify food and plan a balanced diet. 

‣ Learn strategies for preventing drug abuse and for safe use of medication. 

‣ Recognize signs of illness and explain how to prevent the spread of germs. 

‣ Participate in discussion and activities teaching personal safety. 

‣ Exhibit respect in caring for self and others. 

By close of grade 12, Upper School students work to master the following skills: 

‣ Know various community agencies that provide health services to individuals 

and families. 

‣ Know appropriate ways to build and maintain healthy relationships with peers, parents 

and other adults. 

‣ Illustrate basic first aid procedures appropriate to common emergencies such as 

proper responses to breathing, choking problems, bleeding, shock, poisonings, and 

minor burns. 

‣ Explain how eating properly can help to reduce health risks. 

‣ Describe the basic structure and functions of human body systems and how they 

function to fight disease. 

‣ Explain how the human body changes as people age. 

‣ Explain principles that a Christ-centered person will balance good mental, physical, 

and social health. 

‣ Identify traits of good mental health and benefits of positive self-concept. 

‣ Describe ways in which drugs can harm the body. 

‣ Describe ways in which addiction not only harms individuals (e.g., opioids), but has a 

detrimental the larger society. 

‣ Identify the varying levels of mental health. 

‣ Examine responsibilities inherent in dating relationships, marriage, and parenthood. 

‣ Apply in one’s own life methods to facilitate the transition from role of a child to role of 

independent adult. 

‣ Explain a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and social changes that occur 

throughout life, how these changes differ among individuals and differ within 

age groups. 

‣ Relate personal health behaviors to well-being and relate these behaviors to achieving 

health goals throughout life. 

‣ Examine the factors that influence one’s food choices. 

‣ Show short and longterm effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs on reproduction, 

pregnancy, and health of children, including the contemporary opioid crisis affecting 

Ohio and other parts of the United States. 

‣ Examine problems that result from sexually transmitted diseases. 

‣ Analyze costs and benefits in personal selection of health-care resources, products, 

and services. 

‣ Practice injury prevention and management strategies for community health such as 

neighborhood safety, traffic safety, safe driving. 

‣ Describe how Christ-centered living will promote a balance that leads to good mental, 

physical, social, and spiritual health. 



Physical Education 8 

Above all, physical education at CHCA reflects the high value God places on human life and the 

respect we have for each person in God’s community. Activities offer opportunities for spiritual 

growth where students are encouraged to explore how Christ would react. CHCA physical 

education helps students develop in cognitive, psychomotor, affective, and spiritual domains. 

The program and teaching faculty provide an environment that recognizes individual potential 

and encourages leadership and participation. Students grow in an understanding of rules, safety, 

and strategies of games and activities and develop skills and abilities through participation in a 

variety of team and individual activities. Physical Education incorporates the importance of 

health-enhancing, lifelong fitness. Students use their God-given gifts to engage in teamwork, 

individual achievement, and physical fitness activities, equipping them with a sense of selfesteem 

and sportsmanship to participate in a diverse society. 



❖ Behaving responsibly and making Christ-centered choices 

❖ Achieving mature and versatile motor skills 

❖ Applying knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics related to 

movement and performance 

❖ Engaging in physical activity and building physical fitness 

❖ Building Manipulative Skill: Object Control 


Competency: Behaving responsibly and making Christ-centered choices. 


‣ responding positively in challenging situations to build an atmosphere of respect, as 

well as physical and emotional safety. 

‣ cooperation and communication skills to foster a positive environment where partners, 

as well as small and large groups can accomplish a set goal. 


‣ What does responsible and respectful behavior, while participating in physical 

activity, look like? 

‣ How can we honor God in successful and challenging situations? 

8 

CHCA derives its physical education curriculum in part from the Ohio Learning Standards in Physical Education, 2015 Edition. 




‣ Exhibiting responsible social, personal and cooperative behavior reflects Christ 

centered choices that show respect for self and others. 

‣ Discerning when to lead or follow is necessary for the accomplishment of a team or 

group goal. 

‣ Students will identify strategies for stress management, problem solving, conflict 

resolution, and communication. 

Competency: Achieving mature and versatile motor skills. 


‣ the motivation, confidence and competence to engage in a variety of skill themes and 

movement concepts, in complex situations and sport specific settings. 

‣ the relationship between the skill themes (locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative 

skills) and movement concepts (space awareness, effort actions and relationships). 

‣ Acquiring the cognitive concepts about motor skill. 


‣ What is the difference between locomotor, non-locomotor and manipulative skills? 

‣ How do movement concepts relate to motor skills? 

‣ How can performance feedback increase your understanding of skill development and 

improve performance? 

‣ How do you know if you have balance and control of your body? 



‣ Becoming competence in skill themes and movement concepts is the foundation on 

which to build more complex skills and experience success in sports, dance and other 

physical activities. 

‣ Developing the ability to combine balance and weight transfer skills is essential to 

executing movement sequences. 

Competency: Applying knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics related to 

movement and performance 


‣ successful participation in games and sports by transferring learned concepts, using 

appropriate skills, strategies and tactics. 


‣ How is practicing a skill in an isolated setting different from using the skill in a game 


specific setting? 

‣ Why is it important be aware of your surroundings when moving in relationship with 

others? 

‣ What role do rules, strategies and etiquette play in a game situation? 



‣ Appling knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics to sport specific 

settings leads to success and promotes teamwork. 

‣ Becoming competent in skill themes is the foundation on which to build skill and 

experience success in sports, dance and other physical activities. 

Competency: Engaging in physical activity and building physical fitness 


‣ identifying how the fitness components and the principals of exercise can improve 

fitness. 

‣ recognizing the value of the positive outcomes of physical activity. 


‣ Is there a difference between health, related fitness and performance related fitness? 

‣ How will physical activity help us now and in the future? 

‣ What can we do to be physically active and why is this important? 

‣ What role do the fitness components, flexibility, strength and cardiovascular 

endurance play in developing physical fitness? 



‣ Fitness education and assessment will help students understand, improve, and/or 

maintain their physical well-being. 

‣ engaging in physical activity is important to our mental and physical wellness and 

supports a healthy lifestyle. 

‣ physical activity provides the opportunity for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression 

and social interaction. 

‣ each of us is uniquely made and “being fit” does not look the same to each individual. 


Competency: Building Manipulative Skill: Object Control 


‣ applying the critical elements that make up manipulative skills, (throwing, catching, 

kicking, and striking skills) during skill practice, games, and other physical activities. 

‣ Demonstrating basic decision-making capabilities when sending or receiving an object. 


‣ When striking an object what changes have an impact on distance, trajectory and 

accuracy? 

‣ Why is it necessary to practice the critical elements, moving in opposition, followthrough, 

body rotation and weight transfer in an isolated setting before using them in a 

sport specific setting? 



‣ Using the teaching cures to practice the critical elements of manipulative skills will 

result in acquiring mature and effective skill development. 

‣ Receive an object using the critical elements 

‣ Send an object to a target using critical elements while varying space, distance, 

location and relationship to objects. 


By close of grade 6, students will work to master the following skills: 

‣ Play, cooperate, and respect others as Christ respects us, and in ways 

which are supportive and inclusive in sports activity. 

‣ Demonstrate a variety of basic locomotor and non-locomotor movements such as run, 

skip, bend, and twist. (K-3) 

‣ Apply basic sport-specific skills in a variety of physical activities. (K-3) 

‣ Use age-appropriate form and sequencing in combination of fundamental locomotor, 

object control, and rhythmical skills that are components of selected modified games, 

sports, and dance such as combining running, stopping, and throwing. (K-3) 

‣ Explain and model physical, social, emotional, and spiritual benefits of physical 

activities and a healthy lifestyle. (K-3) 

‣ Engage in activities that develop muscular strength/endurance, flexibility, 

and cardiovascular endurance. (K-3) 

‣ Discuss the importance of following rules and safety precautions. (K-3) 

‣ Demonstrate age-appropriate form and sequencing in combinations of locomotor and 

object control movements that are components of selected modified games 

and sports. (4-6) 


‣ Perform critical elements and apply knowledge of these combinations and object 

control movements in selected tasks to improve performance. (4-6) 

‣ Practice training and conditioning using the principles for specific 

physical activities. (4-6) 

‣ Engage in a variety of physical activities that promote physical fitness goals. (4-6) 

‣ Engage in more advanced activities that develop and maintain cardio-respiratory 

endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility. (4-6) 

‣ Apply rules, appropriate procedure, and safe practice to physical activity settings. (4-6) 

‣ Communicate with teammates or competitors during team or individual sports. (4-6) 

‣ Search for success in sport or activity by seeking style/form that complements his/her 

own talents and abilities. (4-6) 

By close of grade 12, students work in Recreational Fitness (elective, Grades 7-8) and 

the required Grades 9-12 Physical Education course or sports equivalent to master the 

following skills: 

‣ Demonstrate advanced movement patterns in team and individual sports. 

‣ Demonstrate cooperative behavior and the ability to use combined movement skills 

and strategies in recreation/leisure sports. 

‣ Use offensive and defensive strategies and appropriate rules for sports and other 

physical activities. 

‣ Assess accurately personal health status relative to standards. 

‣ Accept personal responsibility for a healthy lifestyle. 

‣ Weigh potential consequences of participation in physical activity including physical 

injury or potential conflict with others. 

‣ Measure personal status of body composition and fitness level. 

‣ Measure personal status of cardio-respiratory endurance. 

‣ Set personal goals and work toward their achievement. 

‣ Anticipate health and safety consequences of physical activity. 

‣ Act independently of negative peer pressure. 

‣ Honor and glorify God in sports and physical activities. 

‣ Accept role of leader or of follower appropriate for the accomplishment of team goals. 

‣ Apply and practice the concept of sportsmanship and responsible behavior while 

participating in physical activity. 



Fine Arts, Music 

As a result of a CHCA music fine arts education, students recognize that music is a gift from 

God and as such should be used to glorify and serve Him. Students are encouraged to develop 

a lifelong love of music through participation in performance and study. Growing from these 

studies is an appreciation of the diversity of musical experience, culture, Christian heritage, and 

an ability to evaluate both aural and written music for quality and to evaluate music and 

performances congruent with scriptural principles. Students pursue musical opportunities with 

confidence and knowledge. They engage competently in a variety of musical experiences both 

for academic and personal purposes demonstrating creativity, appreciation, and expression in a 

variety of situations. Audiences within and beyond the school provide opportunities for musical 

outreach. Students work cooperatively and responsively in groups demonstrating appropriate 

leadership and giving value to others’ work. Students receive challenge and support in pursuit of 

success in music. 


CHCA students work to master the following overarching skills in Music: 

‣ Ensemble 

‣ Building Music Connections across Disciplines 

‣ Personal Expression 

‣ Creativity and Musical Expression 

‣ Etiquette in Performance 


Competency: Ensemble 

Description: 

‣ Apply current level of individual technique and musical skills to contribute to the ensemble 

as a whole. 

‣ Sing/Perform on instruments alone and with others a varied repertoire of music including 

selections of Christian story and praise. 

‣ Read and notate music. 


‣ How can each individual part affect the ensemble in a positive and/or negative way? 



‣ each individual voice or instrument is an important part of the ensemble. 


Competency: Relationships—Building Music Connections across Disciplines; Making 

Theological and Faith Connections 

Description: Students work to master… 

‣ researching and explaining, using various technologies including print, electronic, and 

recordings, the relationship between music, history, culture, and a Christian world view. 

‣ Applying appropriate personal as well as Christ-centered evaluative criteria to music and 

musical performances that acknowledge music as an art form embracing diversity. 


‣ How does music reflect what is happening in the world? 

‣ Does a selected work contribute positively or negatively to society? 

‣ How does culture shape music and how does music shape culture? 



‣ music is often shaped and created as a reaction to what is happening in the world. 

Competency: Personal Expression 


‣ Recognizing compositional devices and techniques that are used to provide unity and 

variety, tension and release in a work. 

‣ Describing personal preferences for specific musical works and styles. 

‣ Using elements of music for expressive effect. 


‣ Can secular music honor God? 

‣ Can music help you express yourself? 

‣ Can music bring emotions out from within you? 



‣ music is used to express different feelings and/or sentiments. We use personal and 

interpersonal expression to honor God. 


Competency: Creativity and Musical Interpretation 


‣ Making creative choices to apply in an appropriate context. Making appropriate musical 

selections for a given setting. Using creative elements to enhance a performance. 

‣ Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 

‣ Composing music within specific guidelines. 

‣ Using music as a personal and interpersonal expression to honor God. 

‣ Applying appropriate personal as well as Christ-centered evaluative criteria to music and 

musical performances that acknowledge music as an art form embracing diversity. 


‣ What is the intent behind the chosen musical selection? 

‣ How does a composer use musical devices to help a performer interpret a musical work? 

‣ Are there right or wrong ways to improvise or compose? 



‣ the elements of music and musical expression are used in diverse genres and cultures. 

Competency: Etiquette in Performance 


‣ applying of appropriate etiquette as an audience member and/or performer. 


‣ Does appropriate concert etiquette change based on the performance setting? 

‣ What is the connection between rehearsals and the final performance? 



‣ We maintain a standard of proper behavior and participation within a rehearsal 

setting. 

‣ We transfer the professionalism learned in rehearsals to a performance setting and as 

audience members. 




Lower Elementary Music: 

‣ Sing on pitch/perform on an instrument, given individual talents, with steady tempo and in 

rhythm using clear diction and tonal clarity, presenting appropriate posture. 

‣ Identify and perform songs representing genres and styles from diverse cultures and 

historical periods including songs from varied Christian tradition. 

‣ Improvise simple rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments. 

‣ Improvise simple rhythmic variations and simple melodic embellishments on 

familiar melodies. 

‣ Use a variety of sound sources including electronic resources when 

performing/creating music. 

‣ Create music to accompany dramatizations. 

‣ Identify standard symbols and terms used to notate 1) rhythm, 2) pitch, 3) meter, and 4) 

dynamics in simple musical examples. 

‣ Describe personal preferences for specific musical works and styles. 

‣ Identify simple musical forms when presented aurally. 

‣ Respond rhythmically through movement to specific musical examples. 

‣ Demonstrate respect and appreciation for a performance as an audience member. 

‣ Use singing, dancing, acting, and playing to explore music literature. 

‣ Exercise Christ-centered choices in musical selections. 

‣ Practice criteria that affect quality and effectiveness of performance. 

Vocal Music: 

‣ Sing with good breath control, expression, and technical accuracy at a level that includes 

modest ranges and changes of tempo, key, and meter. 

‣ Sing music written in one or two parts. 

‣ Perform music that glorifies God and represents diverse genres and cultures using 

expression appropriate for the work. 

‣ Improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and over given rhythm accompaniments. 

‣ Relate the elements of music used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release, and 

balance in musical compositions. 

‣ Sight read simple melodies in treble clef. 

‣ Recognize and incorporate into performance basic standard notation symbols for pitch, 

rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression. 

‣ Identify specific musical events when listening to music. 

‣ Exercise evaluative criteria that affect quality and effectiveness of musical performances 

and compositions. 

‣ Exercise Christ-centered criteria when listening to and selecting for singing vocal music. 

‣ Describe the functions music serves, roles of musicians, history of composers, history of 

vocal and instrumental music, and various careers in music. 

‣ Use print and electronic resources to gather and present information related to topics in 

the study of music. 

Instrumental Music: 

‣ Perform on an instrument accurately either alone or in small and large ensembles using 

good posture, playing position, breath control, and tone. 


‣ Perform with expression and technical accuracy a repertoire of instrumental literature that 

includes modest technicality and ranges, changes of tempo, key, and meter. 

‣ Study music that is congruent with a Christian worldview. 

‣ Apply or recognize the basics of music theory. 

‣ Read and notate whole, half, quarter, eight, sixteenth, and dotted notes, and their 

equivalent rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 2/2 time signatures. 

‣ Recognize and incorporate into performances standard notation symbols for pitch, 

rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression. 

‣ Explain, using appropriate terminology, music notation, instruments, and performances. 

‣ Exercise evaluative criteria that affect quality and effectiveness of musical performances 

and compositions. 

‣ Exercise appropriate audience and performance etiquette. 

‣ Discern quality repertoire based on a Christian worldview. 

‣ Study instrumental music of various historical periods and cultures. 

‣ Understand roles of musicians in various music settings and cultures. 

‣ Understand diverse roles of music and musicians in various world cultures. 


Vocal Music: 

‣ Sing a varied repertoire of Christian and appropriate vocal literature at a moderate level of 

difficulty with expression and technical accuracy. 

‣ Sing music written in two or four parts without accompaniment. 

‣ Use ensemble skills when performing as part of a group. 

‣ Use elements of music for expressive effect. 

‣ Read a vocal score up to four staves. 

‣ Read music that contains moderate technical demands, expanded ranges, and varied 

interpretive requirements. 

‣ Apply the technical vocabulary of music appropriate to student’s years of study. 

‣ Recognize compositional devices and techniques that are used to provide unity and 

variety, tension and release in a work. 

‣ Research and describe various roles that musicians perform and representative 

individuals who have functioned in these roles. 

‣ Create and apply choreographic movement to song (performing choir only). 

Instrumental Music: 

‣ Perform with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of musical literature 

including sacred selections at an intermediate to advanced level of difficulty. 

‣ Demonstrate ensemble skills when performing as part of a group. 

‣ Perform alone and in small ensembles with confidence and proficiency. 

‣ Improvise rhythmic and melodic phrases, incorporating variations and embellishments. 

‣ Improvise original melodies over given chord progressions in consistent style, meter 

and tonality. 

‣ Know how the elements and compositional devices of music achieve unity and variety, 

tension and release, and balance in musical compositions. 

‣ Read and notate music that contains intermediate to advanced technical demands, 

expanded ranges, and varied interpretive requirements. 

‣ Understand how the elements of music and musical expression are used in diverse 

genres and cultures. 

‣ Apply the technical vocabulary of music appropriate to the student’s years of study. 


‣ Exercise evaluative criteria that affect quality and effectiveness of musical performances, 

compositions, arrangement, and improvisations. 

‣ Discern quality repertoire based on a Christian worldview. 

‣ Study and perform music that is congruent with a Christian worldview. 

‣ Demonstrate appropriate audience etiquette. 

‣ Classify unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music. 

‣ Research and explain sources of American music genres, development of the genres, 

and musicians associated with them. 

‣ Recognize various roles that musicians perform and representative musicians. 

Advanced Placement Music Theory: 

*The teacher has read the most recent AP Music Theory Course Description. 

The course enables students to master the rudiments and terminology of music: notational 

skills, intervals, scales, keys, chords, meter, and rhythm. 

The course progresses to include more sophisticated and creative tasks: 

‣ writing a bass line for a given melody or harmonization of a given melody in four parts 

‣ realization of a figured bass 

‣ realization of a Roman numeral progression 

‣ analysis of repertoire, including analysis of motivic treatment and harmonic analysis 

The course includes the following scales: major, minor, modal, pentatonic, and whole tone. 

The course covers the following concepts or procedures based in common-practice tonality: 

‣ functional triadic harmony in traditional four-voice texture including non-harmonic tones, 

seventh chords, and secondary dominants. 

‣ modulation to closely related keys 

The course also teaches: 

‣ phrase structure 

‣ small forms (e.g., rounded binary, simple ternary, theme and variation, strophic) 

Musical skills are developed through the following types of musical exercises: 

‣ listening (discrete intervals, scales, etc.; dictations; excerpts from literature) 

‣ sight-singing 

‣ written exercises 

‣ creative exercises 

The course includes, but is not limited to, study of a wide variety of vocal and instrumental 

music from the standard Western tonal repertoires. 



Fine Arts, Visual 9 

CHCA Visual Fine Arts is designed to nurture and develop the student’s God-given desire to 

create and appreciate the aesthetic beauty in God’s universe. Students use value judgments to 

make decisions about art that honors God and shows appreciation for God’s handiwork and its 

effect on their lives. Through various processes, students will become aware how art relates to 

other areas of study. Students examine the human experience through their own creativity, 

through art history as an expression of culture and through creating art using various media, 

technology, literature, and God’s Word. Students experience and gain skill with the various art 

processes to gain confidence in their ability and grow in their aesthetic sense. Students value 

cultural diversity through the knowledge of the visual arts. Visual Fine Arts prepares students to 

acknowledge their God-given talents and to pursue with confidence opportunities and 

challenges set before them. 


CHCA students work to master the following overarching skills in Music: 

‣ Ensemble 

‣ Building Music Connections across Disciplines 

‣ Personal Expression 

‣ Creativity and Musical Expression 

‣ Etiquette in Performance 


Competency: Building Arts Connections and Contexts 


‣ The building of connections between the visual arts, other disciplines, historical 

contexts, and daily life. 

‣ Making Christ-centered judgments about art. 

‣ Relating the visual arts to history and culture. 


‣ How is art infused in our daily life? 

‣ How can art influence our understanding of other disciplines? 

‣ How can other disciplines influence our understanding of art? 



‣ Art is an inherent and integral part of our environment. 

‣ Art is a distinct form of communication that enriches the understanding of other 

disciplines. 

9 CHCA derives its visual fine arts curriculum in part from Mid Continent Regional Education Lab, Compendium of 

Standards http://www2.mcrel.org/compendium/SubjectTopics.asp?SubjectID=13. Skills articulated by the College Board Advanced 

Placement Studio Art examination. 



Description: Art is a visual form of communication that has its own vocabulary or 

language. Students will discover and work to… 

‣ master communicating through their art and how they have learned from the art of the 

people before us. 

‣ Develop knowledge of aesthetics and art criticism by evaluating the characteristics 

and merits of one’s own artwork in addition to appreciating the artwork of others. 


‣ Why do people create art? 

‣ What makes art worth studying? 

‣ What are ways to describe art? 

‣ How do I respond to criticism of my work? How do I provide constructive criticism of 

others’ work? 



‣ The vocabulary artists use for describing their work is essential for creating and 

understanding art. 

‣ Vocabulary is like a tool and an artist must learn how to use and control that tool. 

‣ Art is expressive and interpretive. 

Competency: Experimentation and Problem-Solving 


‣ Applying media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts. 

‣ Using the elements and principles of art/design. 

‣ Choosing from a range of subject matter, symbols, icons, and potential ideas to create 

art. 


‣ What makes something “art?” 

‣ What do I do when I get stuck? 

‣ When is it okay for art to break the rules? 



‣ we learn from mistakes by making mistakes, in art as in the rest of life. 

‣ creating something new begins with brainstorming and “playing,” but this isn’t the final 

step of the process. 

‣ there are times when artists create great work by obeying rules and conventions of 

craftsmanship, and there are times when creation requires breaking those rules. 


Competency: Creativity and Artistic Expression 


‣ developing visual awareness of God’s creation in order to produce an individual 

artistic awareness. 

‣ choosing from a range of subject matter, symbols, icons, and potential ideas to create 

art. 

‣ developing knowledge of aesthetics and art criticism by evaluating the characteristics 

and merits of one’s own artwork in addition to appreciating the artwork of others. 


‣ When does technique boost creativity? When does technique get in the way? 

‣ What’s the difference between drawing/painting a picture and being an “artist?” 



‣ We learn from mistakes by making mistakes, in art as in the rest of life. 

‣ While creativity is vital to producing art, refining skill in established artistic techniques 

is essential for making creativity effective. There are processes that lead to beauty 

and excellence in art. 

Competency: Craftsmanship 

Description: Students will work to refine… 

‣ their creative processes, working to produce art that communicates what the artist 

intends, and to have the greatest impact on the audience. 


‣ How do I know when my work is good enough? How do I know when I’m finished? 

‣ When does technique boost creativity? When does technique get in the way? 

‣ How does my work look to other people? What’s the impact my art is having? 



‣ While creativity is vital to producing art, refining skill in established artistic techniques 

is essential for making the creativity effective. There are processes that lead to beauty 

and excellence in art. 

‣ Refinement is an essential part of the process of art creation. 

‣ Refinement is a process, not something that happens overnight. 




‣ Experience looking closely at an object and interpreting it in some media. 

‣ Create visual interpretations of Bible stories using appropriate media. 

‣ Create a piece of art that symbolizes worship. 

‣ Relate another area of study using art expression. 

‣ Apply the appropriate use and care of art materials. 

‣ Prepare and clean up art room and materials. 

‣ Demonstrate familiarity with symmetry, line, shape, color, and texture as basic 

elements of design. 

‣ Recognize how subject matter, symbols, and ideas are used to 

communicate meaning. 

‣ Select prospective ideas for works of art. 

‣ Relate history and culture’s affect on art. 

‣ Create art that has its roots in different time periods and cultures. 

‣ View the work of several famous artists. 

‣ Respect the work of others as well as his/her own work. 

‣ Make judgments about specific artwork. 


‣ Recognize as well as create art that is pleasing and glorifying to God. 

‣ Complete various projects using different media, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, 

ceramics, computer art, fibers, printmaking, and photography. 

‣ Identify how the different art media, techniques, and processes can communicate 

experiences and ideas. 

‣ Explore the relationship of art to man as a means of expressing personal thoughts 

and experiences. 

‣ Identify specific works of art to particular artists, art periods, and art styles. 

‣ Recognize the purpose and meaning of specific artwork. 

‣ Research and create art of the various world cultures. 

‣ Use art as a vehicle to reflect the importance of God in his/her life 

‣ Apply Christian values and integrity in evaluating art and artists. 

‣ Express art preferences based on Christ-centered artistic experiences. 

‣ Employ a range of subject matter, symbols, icons and potential ideas in the 

visual arts. 

‣ Communicate experiences and ideas by applying different media, techniques, 

and processes. 

‣ Use elements of art in personal art expression. 

‣ Organize personal designs using principles of design. 

‣ Appreciate the characteristics, values, and merits of one’s own artwork and the 

artwork of others. 

‣ Recognize various interpretations may be used to evaluate works of art. 


Advanced Placement Art 

By close of Advanced Placement Art Studio: 

‣ The teacher has read the most recent AP Art Studio Course Description. 

‣ The course promotes a sustained investigation of all three aspects of portfolio 

development -- quality, concentration, and breadth -- as outlined in the Course 

Description or Studio Art poster throughout the duration of the course. (Note: The 

body of work submitted for the portfolio can include 

art createprior to and outside of the AP Studio Art course.) 

‣ The course enables students to develop mastery (i.e., "quality") in concept, 

composition, and execution of drawing, 2-D design, or 3-D design. 

‣ The course enables students to develop a body of work investigating a strong 

underlying visual idea in drawing, 2-D design, or 3-D design that grows out of a 

coherent plan of action or investigation (i.e., a "concentration"). 

‣ The course teaches students a variety of concepts and approaches in drawing, 2-D 

design, or 3-D design so that the student is able to demonstrate a range of abilities 

and versatility with technique, problem-solving, and ideation (i.e., "breadth"). Such 

conceptual variety can be demonstrated through either the use of one or the use of 

several media. 

‣ The course emphasizes making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in 

informed and critical decision making. 

‣ The course includes group and individual student critiques and instructional 

conversations with the teacher, enabling students to learn to analyze and discuss their 

own artworks and those of their peers. 

‣ The course teaches students to understand artistic integrity as well as what constitutes 

plagiarism. If students produce work that makes use of photographs, published images, 

and/or other artists' works, the course teaches students how to develop their own work 

so that it moves beyond duplication. 



Technology 10 

As a result of technology instruction at CHCA, students will become proficient in using a variety 

of devices across a broad range of applications. Students will use technology to engage and 

enhance their learning experience in the classroom and among their physical and digital 

communities. Students will come to see technology as a tool to: communicate and broadcast; 

research; create both individually and collaboratively; and to collect, process, and organize data. 

They will become intelligent consumers and thoughtful producers of digital content for 

redemptive purposes. 



❖ Technology Operations and Processes 

❖ Digital Citizenship, Responsibility, and Wellness 

❖ Problem Solving, Creativity, and Innovation 

❖ Communication and Collaboration Fluency 

❖ Information and Media Fluency 


10 CHCA derives its technology curriculum in part from the International Society for Technology in Education NETS-S National 

Education Technology Standards for Students most recent update 2016 http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students, the Essential 

Fluencies developed by the Global Digital Citizen Foundation https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/21st-century-fluencies, as well as the 

Ohio Learning Standards in Technology 2017 edition http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Learning-in- 

Ohio/Technology/Ohio-s-2003-Academic-Content-Standards-in-Technolo/The-2017-Ohio-Learning-Standards-in- 

Technology.pdf.aspx. 



Competency: Technology Operations and Processes 


‣ Fluency in commonly used computer operations and functions for academic uses, 

including typing and use of productivity software for use in any class setting. 

‣ Basic troubleshooting of common bugs and problems that users encounter when using an 

electronic device. 

‣ A basic familiarity with coding and programming languages. 


‣ What do I do when my device doesn't behave the way I am expecting it to? 

‣ How is the sequence of actions affecting the outcomes I’m seeing? 

‣ What do I do when I get stuck? 



‣ Being "producers" of technology resources requires knowledge and skills that go beyond 

being mere "consumers" of technology. 

Competency: Digital Citizenship, Responsibility, and Wellness 


‣ A deeper awareness of human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and 

practicing legal and ethical behavior when online. 

‣ Practicing safe and ethical behaviors in use of sources and communications. 


‣ How do I consume digital media responsibly? How do I ethically produce digital content? 

‣ What are the privileges and responsibilities of digital citizenship? 

‣ Who owns the "digital you?" 

‣ What am I promoting by “liking,” friending, or reposting? 



‣ Being "producers" of technology resources requires knowledge and skills that go beyond 

being mere "consumers" of technology. 


‣ Your digital self is a character reflection of your live self. The choices you make online 

have consequences for other aspects of your life and can affect those around you for 

better or worse. 

‣ Technology and social media can be avenues to build positive connections and networks 

beyond one’s normal reach and should be used with redemptive purpose to empower and 

uplift. 

Competency: Problem Solving, Creativity, and Innovation 


‣ Applying design thinking principles to their own ideas and problem solving in order to 

bring their new ideas to life in real world applications. 


‣ What is the problem we are solving? What steps do we need to take to understand the 

problem more fully? 

‣ What’s lacking in “the way we’ve always done it?” 

‣ How do I get constructive feedback to make my plan work better? How do I respond to 

that feedback? 

‣ What do I do when I get stuck? When something doesn’t work the way I planned? 

‣ How do I know when my work is good enough? How do I know when I’m finished? 



‣ Effective design requires understanding and articulating the problem as fully as possible 

before moving on to build a prototype. 

‣ Feedback is essential to effective design, even as accepting and processing feedback is 

essential for growth and improvement. 

‣ Failure and working through obstacles are parts of the process of learning and creating. 

Competency: Communication and Collaboration Fluency 


‣ Collaborating with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, making 

decisions and solving problems. 

‣ Using creative and artistic formats to express personal learning. 

‣ Considering divergent opinions, then, if evidence warrants, altering opinions or 

conclusions. 

‣ Creating products that contribute to authentic, real world contexts. 


‣ How does the way I communicate affect the way my ideas are perceived by others? 


‣ How do I know which ideas are “right?” What is my criteria? 

‣ What does it mean to listen to other people? How is this different from “hearing?” 

o What are the benefits and limitations of online communication? How is “listening” 

to people in an online forum or a social media app different than in a face-to-face 

conversation? 



‣ The message is influenced by the medium; good ideas can be overlooked or dismissed 

on the basis of how they are presented. 

‣ Knowing when to consult an “expert” can be the difference between good and great work. 

‣ Changing one’s mind in the face of better evidence is a mark of learning and growth. 

‣ It is possible to hear without truly listening. Good listening involves engagement with the 

speaker’s message…and accurately interpreting what the speaker is saying and how the 

speaker is saying it. 

Competency: Information and Media Fluency 


‣ Confidently navigating standard conventions and tools for organizing print and digital 

resources. 

‣ Using inquiry-based research processes by applying critical thinking skills such as 

analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and organization to construct new understandings, 

drawing conclusions and creating new knowledge. 

‣ Finding, evaluating, and selecting appropriate sources to answer questions and to meet 

personal learning needs. 

‣ Using technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and 

understanding in ways others can view, use, and assess. 

‣ Evaluating the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, coverage and relevance of 

information and data sources. 


‣ What sources are most useful for discovering more about my topic? What evidence am I 

missing? Where can I go to find the missing pieces? 

‣ What makes a written or online resource reliable? What makes it relevant for what we're 

studying? 

‣ How do we know which sources are most accurate when sources disagree? 



‣ Some sources, whether documents, media, web pages, or artifacts, are more useful than 

others for discovering accurate and useful information. 



judging their validity, their credibility, is more important than ever. 



‣ Using biblical principles to evaluate content and to guide behaviors appropriate to the 

pursuit of information for school and personal learning. 


‣ What does it mean to be a steward of a Christ-centered education? What responsibilities 

come with having the ability and the opportunity to learn? 

‣ What is our redemptive purpose in creating media? Posting online? Who are we uplifting 

today? 

‣ What am I promoting by “liking,” friending, or reposting? 



‣ Technology and social media can be avenues to build positive connections and networks 

beyond one’s normal reach and should be used with redemptive purpose to empower and 

uplift. 

‣ Putting forth our best effort to learn in school—even in research or prototyping—can be an 

act of worship when sincerely done for the glory of God. 


By close of Grade 6, lower school students will work to build the following skills: 

Technology operations and concepts 

‣ Using input and output devices to operate computers and other technologies (e.g., use 

of mouse, scrolling tools, keyboards, various input devices and plugin types, as well 

as apps and devices for mobile tablets/iPads when needed). 

‣ Communicating about technology using developmentally appropriate terminology. 

‣ Using a variety of media, technology, and online resources (including the school LMS) 

for directed and independent learning activities. 

‣ Creating work using basic coding languages, including JavaScript and HTML/CSS 

‣ Practicing fundamental keyboarding skills for efficient typing. 

‣ Identifying strategies for working through routine hardware and software problems in 

everyday use. 

Digital Citizenship, Responsibility, and Wellness 

‣ Demonstrating positive social and ethical behaviors while using technology. 


‣ Developing habits of navigating safely online and on public devices. 

‣ Begin developing a balance between device usage and intentionally disconnecting 

from devices. 

‣ Explore and practice developing habits related to internet safety (e.g., copyright and 

fair use, safe gaming and chatting in online gaming formats, safe use of media sites 

like YouTube, etc.) 

Problem Solving, Creativity, and Innovation 

‣ Using design thinking processes to build deeper understandings of real-world 

problems while developing innovative solutions and responses to those problems. 

‣ Determine which technology tools are most useful given a problem or situation and 

select appropriate tools and resources to address given tasks. 

‣ Creating developmentally appropriate multimedia products with support from teachers 

and others. 

‣ Using general purpose productivity tools and peripherals to support personal 

productivity, remediate skills, and facilitate learning across the curriculum. 

‣ Using technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication, art 

expression, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for selected 

audiences. 

Communication and Collaboration Fluency 

‣ Work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers, family members and others 

using technology in the classroom and beyond. 

‣ Use online resources to participate in learning communities and information sharing. 

‣ Extend one’s sphere of influence beyond the classroom or home through 

communication. 

‣ Begin communicating and creating using coding languages as well as conventional 

text and media. 

Information and Media Fluency 

‣ Gather information to integrate with other resources, personal 

perspective, and to communicate with others. 

‣ Evaluate accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, and bias in electronic information 

sources. 

By close of Grade 12, upper school students will work to master the following skills: 

Technology operations and concepts 

‣ Applying strategies for identifying and working through routine hardware and software 

problems in everyday use, as well as helping others to troubleshoot. 

‣ Using a variety of media and online resources for directed and independent learning 

activities, including: 

o Use of the school LMS 

o web-based resources for classes and online textbooks 

o research databases 

o file uploading for assignment submissions 

o responding appropriately to instructor feedback in online assignments 

o maintaining open online communication with teachers and the school 


o online quizzes and tests 

o cloud storage and organizational tools for managing assignments 

‣ Applying computer fluency skills (e.g., typing, use of search engines) to academic 

work in the classroom setting. 

‣ Determining which tools are most effective for academic tasks within each class 

context (whether mobile devices, conventional BYOD laptops, or school-owned 

devices and resources). 

Digital Citizenship, Responsibility, and Wellness 

‣ Discuss basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information and 

describe personal consequences of inappropriate use. 

‣ Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and 

disadvantages those uses provide. 

‣ Navigating the digital tools and expectations of a variety of course types, whether 

traditional face-to-face courses or blended and online courses required for 

graduation. 

Problem Solving, Creativity, and Innovation 

‣ Using technology tools such as multimedia AV production, web design tools, for 

individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to 

create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. 

‣ Using general purpose productivity tools and peripherals to support personal 

productivity, remediate skills, and facilitate learning across the curriculum. 

‣ Using technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication, 

art expression, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for 

selected audiences. 

‣ Applying design thinking principles to collaborative and individual projects or 

independent study research addressing real world problems. 

Communication and Collaboration Fluency 

‣ Use technology resources effectively to access online information, communicate 

with others in support of direct and independent learning, and pursue personal 

interests. 

Information and Media Fluency 

‣ Develop advanced search skills on various platforms for academic 

purposes, from search engines to academic databases. 

‣ Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, 

and bias of electronic information sources. 


‣ Applying biblical principles to online choices and social media use. 

‣ Creating media resources and academic work using tech and media tools with a 

view toward redemptive purpose. 



Information Literacy 11 

As a result of a CHCA education, students will demonstrate familiarity with and competence in 

accessing information resources whether print, electronic, or media, within or beyond their 

immediate learning community. Facilities that provide students access to an enriched 

environment of print and non-print resources enable CHCA students to become competent as 

learners, researchers, and communicators. Students who are information literate exhibit skills to 

access information efficiently and effectively and can evaluate informational texts, depictions, 

and content based on accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage, and biblical worldview. 

Information literate students become independent, lifelong readers, learners, and digital 

consumers who value literature, read noteworthy titles, access digitized content from a variety of 

genres and literary styles, and who contribute positively to the learning community and to our 

democratic society. CHCA students will value the freedom of access to information in a 

democratic society and its public institutions that archive and circulate these materials. Students 

who are information literate construct meaning from information, create quality products, learn 

independently, participate as learners both independently and collaboratively, and use 

information technologies responsibly and ethically. CHCA is committed to providing students 

with those skills which enable them to reach their potential to serve God, their families, and 

communities in Christian leadership now and in the future. 



❖ Information Literacy 

❖ Communication and Collaboration Fluency 

❖ Social Responsibility 

❖ Self-Assessment 


11 

CHCA derives its information literacy curriculum in part from the American Association of School Librarians 

Learning Standards for the 21st Century Learner https://standards.aasl.org and the Partnership for 21st Century 

Skills http://p21.org/ A Framework for 21st Century Learning. 



Competency: Information Literacy Skills 


‣ Fluency in library organization, confidently navigating standard conventions and tools for 

organizing print and digital resources. 

‣ Using inquiry-based research processes by applying critical thinking skills such as 

analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and organization to construct new understandings, 

drawing conclusions and creating new knowledge. 

‣ Finding, evaluating, and selecting appropriate sources to answer questions and to meet 

personal learning needs. 

‣ Using technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and 

understanding in ways others can view, use, and assess. 

‣ Evaluating the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, coverage and relevance of 

information and data sources. 


‣ What sources are most useful for discovering more about my topic? What evidence am I 

missing? Where can I go to find the missing pieces? 

‣ What makes a written resource reliable? What makes it relevant for what we're studying? 

‣ How do we know which sources are most accurate when sources disagree? 



‣ Some sources, whether documents, media, or artifacts, are more useful than others for 

discovering accurate and useful information. 


discriminating between sources—judging their validity, their credibility—is more important 

than ever. 

Competency: Communication and Collaboration Fluency 


‣ Collaborating with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, making 

decisions and solving problems. 

‣ Using creative and artistic formats to express personal learning. 

‣ Considering divergent opinions, then, if evidence warrants, altering opinions or 

conclusions. 



‣ What makes a story worth reading? 

‣ How does the way I communicate affect the way my ideas are perceived by others? 

‣ How do I know which ideas are “right?” What is my criteria? 

‣ What does it mean to listen to other people? How is this different from “hearing?” 




‣ The message is influenced by the medium; good ideas can be overlooked or dismissed 

on the basis of how they are presented. 

‣ Knowing when to consult an “expert” can be the difference between good and great work. 

‣ Changing one’s mind in the face of better evidence is a mark of learning and growth. 

‣ It is possible to hear without truly listening. Good listening involves engagement with the 

speaker’s message. 

Competency: Social Responsibility 


‣ Practicing safe and ethical behaviors in use of sources and communications. 



‣ What do I bring to this class? To this learning community? What am I taking away? 

‣ How do I find inspiration from others without copying their work? 

‣ What is my responsibility to the group/community? What should I expect from the group/ 

community? 

‣ What’s the difference between being a student and being a learner? 



‣ We are digital citizens, which comes with digital privileges as well as responsibilities. 

Competency: Self-Assessment 


‣ Monitoring, reflecting, and assessing one's own information-seeking processes 

for effectiveness. 

‣ Using interaction and feedback from teachers and peers to guide inquiry 

when applicable. 


‣ Where have I seen this before? 

‣ What’s working in my search for sources? What’s getting in my way? 

‣ How do I judge which sources best fit the topic? 



‣ Feedback and reactions from others make us better and help us to refine the process as 

we utilize resources. 




‣ Using biblical principles to evaluate content and to guide behaviors appropriate to the 

pursuit of information for school and personal learning. 


‣ What does it mean to be a steward of a Christ-centered education? What responsibilities 

come with having the ability and the opportunity to learn? 



‣ Putting forth our best effort to learn in school—even in library research—can be an act of 

worship when sincerely done for the glory of God.

Mission, Vision, Competencies, Standards, and Benchmarks

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