Good Shepherd Christian Academy
Saturday, May 25, 2013
The South Shore's Best Kept Educational Secret
 
 
 
BIBLE
ASCI (Association of Christian Schools International) Bible curriculum leads students to hear, read, study, memorize, and obey God’s Word. The curriculum includes overviews of the Old and New Testaments, character studies, a study of the life of Christ and the early church, doctrinal studies, and life applications to the lives of the students. Click here to view samples of Bible lessons.
 
 
     
  
 
Chapel services are once held each week on Fridays. Students have opportunities to sing praise songs and hear age-appropriate, encouraging Bible messages. The younger Chapel is for Panda and Lamb preschoolers through second grade students. The older chapel is for third through eighth grade students. Each week an offering is taken, which allows students to contribute loose change (lots of nickels are seen!). Every cent collected is designated by the school to purchase items for families in need through the Samaritan's Purse gift catalog. Our students really enjoying learning about what their money has purchased for children around the world. For example, last year's chapel money was used to purchase an emergency shelter, chickens, soccer balls, and fruit trees for a family in need. This is a great way to honor the Lord and teach our students their responsibility to care for other children in need.
 
  
 
 
Click here to see more photos from school chapels.
 
 
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
The development of Christ-like character is encouraged through classroom instruction and by the example set by our staff. We believe character is developed through obedience to God and to God’s appointed authorities, such as parents and teachers. Obedience leads to the self-discipline that is essential to the growth of the “whole” child: emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually, and socially.
 
 
HANDWRITING
 
Preschool Handwriting
GSCA emphasizes handwriting in our Panda and Lamb preschool classes. We use the amazing program called Handwriting without Tears. Click here to read more about this innnovative approach.
 
Elementary Handwriting
Handwriting is taught in a systematic manuscript method in kindergarten, first, and second grades. Cursive writing is introduced in the third grade and reinforced in subsequent years.
 
 
LANGUAGE ARTS  (PHONICS, GRAMMAR, READING, LITERATURE, & COMPOSITION)
Communication is a beautiful gift from God. Language learning takes place across our curricula and is important to all subject areas. Our goal is that our students learn to communicate through interactive experiences in speaking, writing, reading, and listening. The skills of reading, writing, vocabulary study, and spelling are effectively taught through well-designed lessons. Students learn that they have both a freedom and a responsibility in how they use language.
 
 
Math helps the students deal more efficiently with the quantitative and spatial aspects of God’s creation. Saxon Math is a hands-on curriculum series that emphasizes manipulatives and mental mathematics. This program is designed with a multi-sensory approach to learning and enables students to develop a solid foundation in math.
 
Third through Fifth Grade
Our fourth and fifth graders begin their transition to more advanced mathematic through the Envision Math series by Pearson. Click here to learn more about the Envision math series and its outstanding results. Click here to read a detailed study of the results of using the Envision series.
 
At GSCA, we believe that all eight graders can and should succeed in Algebra I. To this end, our middle school students take two different pre-algebra courses during their 6th and 7th grade years. Rather than mindlessly repeating the math problems from elementary school, our students work toward mastery of  the basic concepts that are foundational to all higher math in high school and beyond.  Mrs. Kent does an excellent job of explaning the difficult concepts in her classes, and there are even free online video tutor clips for every one of the 91 lessons in the Pearson Pre-Algebra book
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SCIENCE 
Students explore the natural world through the ACSI Purposeful Design science curriculum. This series is designed to engage students in investigating, observing, and thinking about the world around them. Every chapter weaves together the wonders of this created world and a Biblical worldview. The style of the lessons capitalizes on children’s innate curiosity and inquisitiveness about the world. Wonderful visual aids and hands-on activities bring the lessons to life for students.
 
 
 
HISTORY
Students learn the importance of historical studies, and they come to understand how history affects their lives today. Through the different grades, students study the histories of the United States, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America. The Abeka curriculum includes the study of maps, songs, symbols, cultures, and biographies.
 
3rd Grade History Presentation
 
 
SPANISH
GSCA uses Rosetta Stone’s language immersion approach to teach our students Spanish.  This is an intense, interactive program that allows each student to advance at her or her own pace.  Each student progresses through 132 different listening, reading, grammar, speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, writing, and review activities.  More detailed information about the course content and approach is available from GSCA and on the company website - www.rosettastone.com. 
 
 
 
 
Art gives students the ability to express their feelings and imagination through the visual arts. GSCA Academy class takes a weekly art class. This begins in kindergarten when students are introduced to visual arts with a concentration on the fundamentals of art including the color wheel, principles of design, observation, invention, expression, and basic color mixing. Each year, students develop skills in creating realistic pieces of art through the use of shading, drawing three-dimensional figures on paper, and more advanced study of clay and paper mache art. students also gain a familiarity with a variety of art techniques and some of the famous works of renowned artists. 

 
 
 
 
MUSIC
The students learn the music for a Christmas musical, which they present in December to the school and church community.  In Chapel, students learn contemporary as well as traditional hymns and songs.
 
 
Physical education and daily activity help to develop positive attitudes, good sportsmanship, personal and group safety, and respect.  Our program includes year round indoor and outdoor games and skill-building activities.