Curriculum Studies
Focus on:
1) Scripture: Bible Study in every grade
2) Church teachings: Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Faith and Life Catechism
3) Learning about family being the basic unit of society:
- Heavenly Family- Blessed Trinity, Blessed Virgin Mary, angels, saints,
- Souls in purgatory- part of the Church family
- First earthly families- from Genesis- Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, ...
- Our own earthly family
- Parish family
- Diocesan family
- Church family
- Canadian family
4) Major appearances and devotions to Our Lady and her involvement in world history
5) Importance of the Rosary- different meditations each year!
6) Devotions - prominent ones endorsed by the Church-history of them, and prayers involved - Monthly themes of prayers for aid in meditations and family prayers: prayer book at the back
7) Major pilgrimage sites in Canada
8) Vocation awareness in every grade: learn about the roles of our Fathers in faith, Brothers, Nuns, Deacons, Cloisters, Active communities, mendicant, etc. - how the main orders of priests and nuns were started, especially those in Canada -stress the importance of evangelization
9) Saints- learn about saints throughout the world with special emphasis on Canadians
10) Justice and Life; study the main initiatives of Catholic social teaching
11) A Mission, as a result of the Justice & Life study, will be recommended in every grade: almost every mission (except 2) was started by a Canadian individual to encourage children to see that even one person can make a big difference
12) Art appreciation - packages for Primary, Intermediate, and Junior High which include prints for the family, and a focus on Canadian artists in the early grades.
13) Princess Unit/ God's Mighty Warrior Unit- books recommended and studied that emphasize the development of qualities and virtues to help boys and girls become the persons God created them to be
14) Canadian history with emphasis on Catholic involvement in the development of Canada, e.g. hospitals, schools, colonization, etc.
15) Canadian and world geography: study of Canada and the world: appreciate the different nationalities that make up our country v
16) "Green" units- gardening and ecology education to help us become better stewards of the earth; study of St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, patrons of the environment and Catholic ecology
17) Agricultural units to help children seek our common roots, and respect the role that agriculture plays in all our lives
18) MOSTLY Canadian books and resources: books were chosen for easy availability, price, and study guides or unit studies for parents and teachers
19) As many "hands-on" activities as possible, or to form the background information for active homeschoolers
20) Syllabi for each of the grades 1-8 are in development as well as additional kits and resources
21) Study of "Traditions", both family and Church, to encourage each family to develop their own faith traditions which help children have a lively faith.