Lower School

The Lower School consists of students in Classes (Grades) 1 through 5.

Habits that were taught and reinforced throughout the Enrichment years continue to be emphasized in the Lower School. The program’s focus is on student acquisition of core knowledge with increased skill acquisition in reading, writing, and mathematics.

LOWER SCHOOL SCHEDULES:

• Classes 1 and 2 meet five days a week:
  Monday, Wednesday, Friday:  8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
  Tuesday, Thursday:  8:00 a.m. -   2:30 p.m.
• Classes 3-5 meet five days a week:
  Monday through Friday:  8:00 a.m.  -  2:30 p.m.

LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM:

Language Arts:  
The Language Arts program at Heritage integrates spelling, reading, written expression, oral expression, vocabulary, and grammar.  These programs are multi-sensory.  As students “see it,” “say it,” “write it,” they experience greater success and higher retention of the materials taught.  

In younger grades, a major part of Language Arts instruction focuses on listening comprehension, speaking well, learning to decode printed text through phonics, and learning to write words and sentences.  Reading is taught phonetically through comprehensive phonics instruction and exposure to controlled reading material.  By integrating spelling, reading, grammar, and phonics, students engage as many senses as possible as they begin to “break the code” of learning.

As students mature, more emphasis is placed on reading comprehension skills, formal grammar instruction, and beginning composition.  

Mathematics:  
Mathematics is taught in a balanced, practical way.  Concepts are taught and experienced through concrete means, such as the use of hands-on manipulatives.  As students master concepts on a concrete level, they then memorize the basic computation facts.  Mastery of basic math facts promotes mathematical fluency in the higher grades.  Students are challenged to demonstrate mastery of mathematical knowledge through applied problems and critical thinking.  Heritage uses the systematic Saxon math program through Class 5 to ensure continuity and consistency with math.

History:  
The Veritas History program is used for classes 1-8 at Heritage.  Lower School studies are as follows:

• Class 1: Creation through the Fall of Rome
• Class 2: St. Augustine through John Knox, Scottish Reformer
• Class 3: Prince Henry the Explorer through the Missouri Compromise
• Class 4: The Monroe Doctrine through Modern Day
• Class 5: Minoan Culture through the end of the Roman Empire

Appropriate historical songs are taught in each class as a means of facilitating students’ grasp of key periods of history. These songs provide “hooks” that enable students to recall more quickly the flow of history. Often abstract concepts of history are difficult for young children to understand. To help young students learn history, Heritage uses biographies as well as “living” books covering the lives of historical figures. This enables students to become familiar with the lives of men and women during the time periods being studied.

Nature Study/Science:  
Nature Study comprises the core of the science curriculum for Classes 1-4.  The study of nature helps children to develop all of their senses and trains them to observe, count, classify, interpret, draw, and record.  These skills form the basis for the future study of science, history, and the visual arts.  

Science is taught in Classes 3-5.  The curriculum for these classes is: 

• Class 3 – The Human Body
• Class 4 – The Solar System
• Class 5 – Earth Science

Latin:  
Latin study begins in Class 3.  Students, at this stage in their development, have a natural proclivity for memorization. It is the prime time for these students to acquire the grammatical forms of Latin by means of learning chants and stem endings.  A student’s affinity for memorization also promotes vocabulary acquisition.

Class 5 initiates a more advanced study of English grammar.  Class 5 students compare and contrast Latin and English grammar. This comparison increases their understanding of the structure of language.

Picture Study:  
For all class levels, Picture Study provides students with an opportunity to learn to recognize and appreciate the work of the Masters.  Picture Study develops students’ memory skills and speaking abilities. Studying the history, style, and unique qualities of great works of art, including the lives of the great artists, enhances students’ learning skills and speaking abilities.

Music:   
All Lower School students are exposed to classical musicians and their works.  Students are taught to listen and to hear discriminately in order to begin to understand musical ideas. They also learn to sing, as accurately as possible, and to develop a working knowledge of musical notation.

Art:  
Lower School students learn many elements of art such as: shape, line, color, and texture. In addition, students are introduced to the use of different mediums: clay, tempera paint, acrylic paint, charcoal, and crayon.  The time periods studied in Art align with the periods studied in History. These are as follows:

• Class 1: Egyptian and Roman designs
• Class 2: Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic Artwork
• Class 3: From Renaissance Art to the Impressionists
• Class 4: From Post-Impressionism through Modern Art of the 20th Century
• Class 5: Roman Frescoes, Egyptian Design and Hieroglyphics, Greek Character Sculpture

Physical Education:  
The goal of Physical Education is to prepare students for a lifetime of healthy living while training them in activities that will inspire as well as equip them to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Heritage believes that the athletic and physical training that students participate in on a daily basis will produce lifelong results, by strengthening their bodies, minds and character through discipline, skills acquisition, consistent practice, self-control, and teamwork.  Students in Classes 1-5 participate in P.E. four days a week.

Computers and Technology:  
The computer is a tool; and, similar to any tool, it has its appropriate place and usage. Heritage recognizes the benefits of such a tool and actively encourages its use by teachers during classroom presentations and by students in upper grades for research and writing assigned papers. Heritage also recognizes that computers have their deficiencies as well, including, but not limited to, passive learning.  Heritage begins to instruct students formally in basic computer and Internet use in Class 5.

Worship and Service:  
Weekly Chapel is planned and implemented to inspire students to learn the joy and importance of worship. Chapel takes place every Friday morning for all students in Classes 1-8.  Parents and guests are encouraged to participate.

Heritage students attend churches representing a wide variety of worship styles, from liturgical to traditional to contemporary. Chapel aims to enable students to become better worshippers no matter what their families' denomination or style of worship may be.

The Chapel experience is a fundamental and distinctive part of Heritage education. Its purpose is to provide the spiritual overtone that should guide students’ decision-making in their daily lives.

Competition with Other Schools:

• Spelling Bees
• Math Olympics
• Creative Writing Contests
• Art Festivals
• ERB Standardized Testing
• The National Latin Test

Clubs:
Heritage offers athletic and academic clubs for Lower and Middle School students. These clubs complement the core curriculum of the school and allow students to pursue increased understanding and competency in a variety of interests. Students have an opportunity to participate in clubs one or two days a week. Clubs meet after-school between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. 

• Soccer Club (Classes 1-3; Classes 4-8)
• Drama Club (Classes 3-8)
• Nature Study Club (Classes 1-3)
• Cross Country Team (Classes 3-8)
• Chess Club (Classes 3-8)
• Basketball (Classes 1-3; Classes 4-8)
• Yearbook/Photography (Classes 3-8)
• Golf (Classes 1-8)
• Tennis (Classes 1-8)
• Track and Field (Classes 3-8) 

Hands-on Service:
Students are taught to put their faith into practice and to be involved in active, hands-on service. First, they serve as individual classrooms by being assigned a physical area of the school to be responsible for cleaning and maintaining.  During a small period of time each week, students may serve by vacuuming a carpet or dusting furniture.  Secondly, students in Classes 1-5 are required to do an annual service project. A student may choose a particular ministry or opportunity, ranging from caring for a homebound individual to raising monies for a homeless shelter.  The student then creates a display board that describes his or her chosen service project. Each student’s project is exhibited during the year-end Fine Art’s Day celebration.