The most exciting and meaningful way to learn and enjoy history and geography is to experience it. Reading and gathering facts alone do not create a lasting impression. For example, our American History curriculum integrates mathematics, science, reading, writing, art, and music, exposing students to the entirety of American culture. Students may read colorful myths and stories, bring Famous Americans to life through drama, take a trip to Washington D.C., our nation’s capital, to be immersed in American History, perform a musical production dedicated to telling the story of Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea. We understand that the most powerful and generative learning occurs when students are immersed in intellectual and creative work rather than simply observing it.

 

This year, 2017-2018, students will study Arizona history, including the unknown Arizona Gold Rush, the pioneers, railroads, and influential people, places, and events in the state’s past and present. Through excursions, dining experiences, and productions, students will experience Arizona rather than simply learning about it.

 

Prescott Adventist Christian School’s approach is based on tried and true methods. Research suggests that most children learn to read between the ages of five and seven. Fostering a love for reading, writing, and a love for language is critical during this time. We combine a developmental philosophy with a traditional approach to reading instruction and language acquisition.

In addition to the content standards set forth by the state of Arizona, PACS’ goals for the reading and language arts program in the lower school (kindergarten through grade 3) include:

• Fostering reading and writing independence
• Building upon fundamental reading skills
• Developing new comprehension strategies
• Introducing a variety of reading genres to instill a love for reading
• Developing and strengthening phonics and spelling skills

Writing projects in the lower school include creative writing, autobiographies, and personal narratives. Beginning in kindergarten, our students are exposed to print-rich literacy environments and receive explicit instruction in phonics. By the end of kindergarten, most students have moved beyond the emergent reader stage to simple primer-level chapter books.

Throughout the lower school, students learn about features of literature such as authors, illustrators, and title pages—all of which they apply in their own writing (through text and pictures). They also work on developing “good reader” strategies, such as using pictures and contextual clues to identify unknown words and phrases. In alignment with our individualized goals, students who have developed solid reading skills are introduced to texts designed to reinforce and build upon those skills and to expand their growing vocabularies and comprehension. Students After students enter the fourth grade, they are increasingly asked to work on developing their ability to understand texts both literally and interpretively.

As students transition into the upper school (grades 4 through 6), they are challenged to read and think critically about more-complex materials, such as short stories, novels, nonfiction, and expository and persuasive texts. Through established grammar, skill building, and vocabulary programs, students continue to deepen their understanding of language structure, grammar, and conventions while practicing reading strategies and engaging in intensive vocabulary building.

One of the goals of the writing program in the upper grades is to help students gain clarity in expressing their ideas. They learn about and experience writing in a variety of genres, including personal narrative, response to literature, exposition, research findings, and persuasion. Select students will write and edit for the PACS Post—our new school newspaper.

Throughout their time at PACS, students develop a keen interest in reading and writing along with the critical thinking skills necessary to successfully compete in modern times. Some standard curriculum resources used at PACS include:

Lower school language arts resources:

• A Readon for Handwriting
• Core Literature and Spiritiual Books
• Variety of Phonics
• Leveled Readers
• Skilpaks
• Teacher Created Resources
• Spelling City
• IXL English

Upper school language arts resources: 

• Core Literature (to include Sacred Books)
• Leveled Readers
• Specific Skill Series
• Skilpaks
• Daily Oral Language
• Reading Daybooks
• Spelling City
• IXL English

 

The Saxon Mathematics program has been a remarkable success in many Adventist schools in North America. PACS uses the Saxon Math curriculum for the following reasons:

• It has an incremental structure that distributes content throughout the year. This integrated and connected approach provides deep, long-term mastery of the content and skills called for in the Common Core State Standards.
• Incremental Concepts are taught in small, approachable progressions. Distributed Increments are spread throughout the year, building in complexity, so that by the end of the year students have reached deep understanding and fluency.
• Cumulative Practice and assessments include concepts from the most recent lessons as well as from earlier in the year, ensuring students retain all concepts and can make connections between them.

 

In addition to the Saxon Math, students from grades 4-8 work independently on the IXL web-based program for targeting areas of mastery and specific skills. IXL motivates users through interactive games and exercises while keeping teachers and parents informed and involved. The goal of IXL is to help students acquire an in-depth understanding and mastery of concepts, thus ensuring long-term skill retention

The music program at PACS is an essential and integral part of our curriculum. Music is part of virtually all community events, morning worship, nursing home visitations, church performances, and even graduation.

Our music program includes a variety of instructional methods:

• The Fundamentals of Music and Theory
• Music Appreciation and History
• Choir training
• Recorder, chimes, and various other instruments
• Music in drama

PACS embraces the notion that musical intelligence has a positive impact on many other intelligences. Our program challenges students to develop a fundamental understanding and appreciation of music through hands-on instruction rooted in musical concepts and performance opportunities. Our goal is to inspire students to become listeners, performers, appreciators, and creators of music. Through theory-based games, rehearsals, and performances, they learn teamwork, goal setting, public speaking, responsibility, and how to use their own creativity.

Starting in kindergarten, students sing and play instruments, become aware of the basic expressive elements of music, and learn to discern variations in rhythm, tempo, and dynamics. They begin their creative work in music as they learn and perform musical pieces.

The program covers a wide range of repertoire and genres, from classical to spiritual music, highlighting the cultural and historical significance of music and the role it plays in societies around the globe.

Students in kindergarten through third grade enjoy one music class a week, and fourth through sixth-graders have two 45-minute classes a week, in addition to special rehearsals and actual performances.

The PACS Physical Education program includes both structured and non-structured, age-appropriate classes that incorporate games, relays, sports, conditioning, and more. Our curriculum introduces strength, balance, coordination, agility, and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence, and self-esteem. Our goal is to maintain a supportive and noncompetitive atmosphere

 

in order to ensure that PE is fun and exciting for all students. 

Our Physical Education program also includes a community-wide athletic event that highlight our students’ abilities. This event, our annual Jogathon, is a rich component to our Physical Education Program. In addition, this event is also our largest fundraiser that raises funds to improve our campus facility—including our gymnasium and our playground areas.