Academic Resources
A classical, liberal arts education includes integrated instruction in many diverse disciplines and curricular programs which, taken together, constitute a comprehensive and holistic view of human knowledge and experience. Below you will find information on some of our core curricular programs.
Singapore Math
At the Lower School, we utilize a Math program called Singapore Mathematics after the country where it was first used. Singapore Math doesn’t limit itself to the “what” and “how” of Math, although those are important, but focuses also on the “why.” While getting the right answer is important, Singapore Math helps students “think mathematically” by ensuring they understand the underlying Math concepts and principles at work in a problem.
Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Framework
Ordinarily, Singapore Math lessons progress through a similar sequence. Each new topic begins with concrete exploration—usually using some kind of Math manipulative such as counters, place value discs, or snap cubes. After students have discovered the principles at work using manipulatives, Singapore Math moves to the pictorial stage, offering students a visual representation of the principle at play which often takes the form of a number bond or bar model. Only once students have mastered the Math concept at the concrete and pictorial stages does Singapore Math move on to introduce a purely abstract algorithm such as stacked addition or subtraction, long division, or cross multiplication.
How Parents Can Help
Though it may be different from what parents encountered when they were young, we ask all our parents to support the depth and intentionality of our Math instruction by helping their children using the strategies and vocabulary taught at school. One of the best ways you can help your child achieve mastery in Math is to seize upon opportunities to build Math into your everyday life. Ask your child to help with the measuring when cooking family meals. Pose a “challenge” Math question while traveling in the car such as, “If Grandma’s house is 20 miles away and we’ve already traveled 7, how many miles do we have left to travel?” or “If we went into the store and apples cost 50 cents each, how much would we have to pay altogether if we bought 12 apples?” Thinking and talking through real life problems like these together helps students see that Math isn’t just a class in school but is a way of understanding the world. It can also make traveling in the car a time to spend in thoughtful conversation with one another as a family.
Math Facts
In Singapore Mathematics no less than in any other Math program, automaticity with basic Math facts (2+2=4, 2+3=5, etc.) is crucial. While we devote as much time as we can during the school day to practice with Math facts, we strongly encourage all families to reinforce our scholars’ mastery of basic facts through regular practice at home. Purchasing flash cards such as these may be helpful.
When it comes time for multiplication, “skip counting” by different denominations is an extraordinarily helpful way to practice Math facts. For example, you might ask your child to skip count by 2s starting at 14 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22), or you might ask her to skip count by 5s until you get to 40 (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40). When your child is ready, try more difficult numbers like 3s, 4s, 7s, or 9s. Try skip counting by 11s! It’s not as hard as it sounds (at least through 99).For more about Singapore Mathematics principles and pedagogical methodologies, visit singaporemath.com.
Spalding Phonics
Great Hearts Lower Schools teach students to read, write, and spell using a program called Spalding. Spalding is a phonics program that uses a meticulously-detailed and multisensory approach to help students decode unfamiliar words and understand how the English language works. For more on Spalding, visit spalding.org.
Parents of Lower School scholars can support their children’s mastery of the phonograms necessary for English reading, spelling, and writing by purchasing a set of these Spalding Phonogram Cards to practice at home.
There is also a Spalding Phonograms App available for iPhone and Android available for purchase to facilitate phonogram practice at home.
Spalding Phonogram Videos
Click on the letter to play the video for each sound:
1(a) 2(c) 3(d) 4(f) 5(g) 6(o) 7(s) 8(qu) 9(b) 10(e) 11(h) 12(i) 13(j) 14(k) 15(l) 16(m)
17(n) 18(p) 19(r) 20(t) 21(u) 22(v) 23(v) 24(x) 25(y) 26(z) 27(sh) 28(ee) 29(th) 30(ow)
31(ou) 32(oo) 33(ch) 34(ar) 35(ay) 36(ai) 37(oy) 38(oi) 39(er) 40(ir) 41(ur) 42(or)
43(ear) 44(ng) 45(ea) 46(aw) 47(au) 48(or) 49(ck) 50(wh) 51(ed) 52(ew) 53(ui) 54(oa)
55(gu) 56(ph) 57(ough) 58(oe) 59(ey) 60(igh) 61(kn) 62(gn) 63(wr) 64(ie)
65(dge) 66(ei) 67(eigh) 68(ti) 69(si) 69(ci)
Core Knowledge
The starting place for Great Hearts’ Lower School History, Science, Music, and Visual Art curricula is the K-8th Core Knowledge Sequence. Based on the work of E.D. Hirsch, the Core Knowledge Foundation (which is not the same thing as Common Core) seeks to ensure all students graduate as culturally-literate citizens, having encountered all the topics a well-educated person needs to know something about. To ensure our instruction is as rich, rigorous, and classical as possible, Great Hearts supplements the Core Knowledge Sequence with selections from other texts such as The Story of the World, the Famous Men series, and more.