Elementary Curriculum

Religion
Lamb of God Lutheran School is a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS).  Our curriculum follows the doctrine as set forth by the LCMS.  Our materials come from Concordia Publishing House, the publishing arm of the LCMS.   Our religion classes offer daily Christian lessons,  weekly memorization of a scripture verse or selections from Luther's Small Catechism,  and a weekly chapel service in the church's sanctuary.   In addition, once per year,  each class presents a chapel service based on scripture.   Parents are invited to all chapel services.

Saxon Math
Saxon Math  provides an outstanding foundational program especially designed to align with how young children learn and build fluency with math skills.  Concepts are developed, reviewed, and practiced thoroughly and completely.  Our goal is to lead students to math mastery and fluency.  Advanced placement is offered in grades 3-5 for those students who demonstrate superior mathematical abilities.

Music
("Music is a great and glorious gift of God."-Martin Luther) Lamb of God offers a comprehensive music program to all students.  Music class is offered twice a week to all class levels.   In addition to instilling the joy of singing,  our program includes:  rhythms, music appreciation, instruments, creativity, and notation.  Chimes, recorders, guitar, and band instruments are all used to teach the students these basic musical concepts.  Further, Lamb of God students and teachers  collaborate on two major musicals during the year.  All students are involved in both the Christmas program and the  Spring Musical.   Lamb of God also offers a beginning band program where students in the 4th and 5th grade can learn their favorite band instrument.  

Technology
Lamb of God boasts two computer labs. Through a coordinated effort between teachers and the technology director,  well designed lessons and activities are presented twice a week to each class (Kindergarten once a week).   Our lab located on the first floor is designed for our kindergarten and first grade classes.   In this lab we use the computers to enhance many of the concepts being introduced and taught in the classroom.   Our computer lab located on the second floor is used by grades 2-5.  This lab is a portable wireless lab that can be wheeled to any classroom and utilized by our students.   In addition to searching out and learning from appropriate web sites, the students in this lab are also introduced to 'standard' programs that they will use throughout their educational experience, i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Excel, Keyboarding, etc.   Keyboarding (Typing) skills begin in the first grade and continue through the 5th grade.

Language Arts
Publisher Houghton-Mifflin offers a phonics based program that is the key to our outstanding language arts program.  Particular emphasis is placed on the Writing Process.  A variety of writing genres are introduced and mastered.  These include:  narrative, descriptive, explanatory, compare/contrast, autobiography, biography, poetry, and story structure.   At all levels, story structure, basics of plot, setting, characters, problem-solution, and cause-effect are used to develop strong writing techniques.  Book reports and student created projects are assigned throughout the year to evaluate independent reading.  The basics of grammar and parts of speech are also highly emphasized: sentence structure, nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, subject-predicate, etc.

Spelling
Our spelling curriculum is a phonics based program that incorporates Bible stories and verses to reinforce the core values of the school.   Each week students are given new, challenging words to learn and are  evaluated on those words on a weekly basis.

Comprehensive Art Program
Our Art Program consists of learning the main 6 elements of art, which include: line, shape, color, value, form, and texture. Through a variety of projects, students will learn these basic elements and learn to express their creativity.  There is a difference between learning the elements of art and "doing crafts." Our art program focuses on the elements of art. We make time for crafts at other times during the day.  There is no set curriculum that we use, as each teacher will set their own criteria and develop their own curriculum to teach these 6 elements of art.

Physical Education
The physical education program provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding of the benefits of physical activity.  Research has demonstrated that children engaged in daily physical education show superior motor fitness,  academic performance, and attitude towards school (NASPE).   To that end, Lamb of God offers P.E. twice a week as well as supervised recess time that involves physical activity. 

Science (with lab projects)
Our science program is Discovery Works, a partnership between Concordia Publishing House and Silver Burdett Ginn, Inc. Through the study of science, our students learn more about our God - the One who made the world, redeemed it, and supports and preserves all things for the benefit of humanity. We believe students learn science concepts most effectively when given the opportunity to construct their own knowledge of science through hands on activities. Discovery Works is based on the Benchmarks for Science Literacy as prepared by Project 2061, a long term educational reform project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the national Science Educational Standards prepared by the National Research Council.

Social Studies
Publisher MacMillan/McGraw-Hill provides the basis for our Social Studies Curriculum. Our studies center around the fact that God has given Americans the great and special gift of freedom.  Throughout all grades we look at several aspects of Social Studies including: God's divine providence,  family structure, citizenship, community building, and decision making.  In addition, students study traditional aspects of Social Studies such as reading maps and diagrams, multiculturalism, American resources, American government, and American history.  Our goal is to guide our students into becoming productive citizens, and to help them appreciate the importance of community so that they will one day strive to be active members of their own communities.