Foundations
Ages 4 through 12
Memorization Fun, FOUNDATIONS is a grammar-stage program for children age twelve and under and their parents.
Parents and tutors use the Foundations Curriculum, which outlines a comprehensive core of grammar for history, science, English, Latin, geography, and math. Students will encounter these facts again later in the Challenge programs. The Foundations Curriculum clearly leads parents through a classical education at home, week by week.
In addition to the memory work, students also participate weekly in public speaking, science projects or experiments, and either an art or music activity, building a firm foundation for a rich education.
The first step in learning anything is to learn its basic parts and vocabulary.
Memorize hundreds of facts on History, Science, Math, Latin, English & Geography
Weekly public speaking opportunity
Classroom setting
Science experiments
Art appreciation (including classical music)
Fun exciting games to teach memorization skills.
What does a typical CC community day look like?
Community Day Schedule
9:15 Large Group Opening: Open with prayer, the O Canada, and a family presentation. Directors may also lead Scripture memory work recitation and make announcements.
9:30-12:00 Classes: Students learn new grammar in core subjects, review previously learned grammar, participate in hands-on fine arts and science projects, and practice presentation skills.
12:00 Lunch: Families eat, talk, and play together after the morning’s work.
1:00-3:00 Essentials Program: Fourth- to sixth-grade students study English grammar and writing and participate in fun math games, like Number Knock-out.
What is a Cycle?
Foundation Cycles
The material taught in Foundations is divided into three cycles: one cycle per year for three years. Each cycle consists of twenty-four weeks of memory work and activities. Students who begin Foundations in K4 will complete each cycle at least twice, developing greater understanding and mastery through repetition. However, students at any learning level will benefit from learning the memory work, even if they only complete one cycle.
Cycle 1 - Covers ancient world history.
Cycle 2 - Covers medieval to new-world history.
Cycle 3 - Covers Canadian history and geography. All other subjects (geography, science, fine arts, etc.) correlate to these time periods.
The Essentials Program
Ages 9 through 12
What makes the Essentials Program different from other English programs?
The Essentials of the English Language program is a complete language arts program that takes students beyond the worksheet. Essentials teaches students how to analyze sentence construction thoughtfully. The result is strong language construction and usage skills, both written and oral.
Essentials not only teaches excellent grammar skills, but it lays the foundation for acquiring foreign language.
A few items that students in Essentials learn:
Capitalization and punctuation
Eight parts of speech
112 sentence patterns
Sentence diagramming
How to analyze sentences by purpose, structure, patterns, and speech parts
Writing structure and style through Institute for Excellence in Writing
How to write an outline, narrative, expository, and essay
Greater speed and accuracy in multiplication facts
Children will succeed if they are taught the essentials metic.
The Partnership
Students and their parents meet for the two-hour Essentials class each week after Foundations. Parents, the true students in the class, will be equipped and encouraged to teach their children grammar and writing. Lead learners (Tutors), trained in the program materials, model the exercises that parents will do with their students at home.
The Essentials Difference
The Essentials of the English Language program is a complete language arts program that takes students beyond the worksheet. Essentials teaches students how to analyze sentence construction thoughtfully. The result is strong language construction and usage skills, both written and oral.
Main resources used in this program
New this year!!! 5th Edition Essentials of the English Language Guide!
IEW ANCIENT HISTORY-BASED WRITING LESSONS (COMBO)
Full kit to work progressively through the nine IEW units and a variety of stylistic techniques.
Recommended in Program(s): Essentials
Cycle(s): Cycle 1
Please note: This item is for Cycle 1
In this yearlong course, students will write about six major ancient civilizations—Sumer, Egypt, Israel, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. The Teacher’s Manual includes tips for creatively teaching each lesson, hints for grammar instruction, vocabulary quizzes, answer keys, and more. The Student Book includes assignments, blank outlines, source texts, checklists, and vocabulary cards. Comes with Student Resource Notebook e-book (check the copyright page for download information).
CHALLENGE
To find out more about our Challenge Program (High School level), check out our Catalogue.
It contains a multitude of helpful information about us, the classical model and a description of the Classical Model and tools you can use in each stage of the Trivium! You can also learn about each of our programs and the whole learning progression for students in our programs from K to Gr 12!
