About
From kindergarten on, our students benefit from a strong reading, phonics, and word study program combined with exciting literature, projects and activities. The math program provides opportunity for students to receive whole class and small group instruction with independent practice.
In addition to the core courses of math, reading and language arts, we integrate STEM, social studies/history and Bible study into our core curriculum from the earliest elementary years.
As our students advance through the elementary grades, they benefit from challenging, age-appropriate curriculum that encourages independent thinking and personal growth. Strong reading and writing skills are regularly honed through incentive reading programs, book reports, essays, journals, and assignments in other subject areas. Bethany utilizes various programs such as Accelerated Reader, Take Off Math, novel studies in reading, writing, and phonics, UFLI, and guided reading to ensure that each student is being challenged at their respective level of ability.
Bethany has implemented Responsive Classroom, a proactive approach to teaching in which teachers are mindful to implement engaging academics, use effective management techniques to build a positive classroom community while keeping in mind the developmental needs of students. Hands-on science experiments, long-term projects, intramural competitions, and educational field trips all reinforce the elementary academic curriculum. Bethany teachers consistently strive to inject fun and relevancy into their teaching.
Bethany utilizes a wide range of secular and Christian curriculum for its students' needs, including UoS in Phonics [K-2], Daily Grams & Grammar, Writer’s Workshop, and Bob Jones University Heritage Studies. Resources for every subject are reviewed in 5-year cycles, with one or more subjects reviewed each year. Guidance for BCS benchmarks and standards is derived by an independent review process, comparable to other private schools and Florida's BEST Standards.
Elementary Highlights
- Full-time aide in classroom
- Full academic day
- Varied creative and traditional learning experiences
- Hands-on curriculum
- Comprehensive reading and writing program
- Independent work along with small and large group settings
- Print-rich environment
- Interactive circle times
- Educational visits from community friends
- Curriculum related field trips (e.g., Flamingo Gardens, Butterfly World)
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, Movement & PE, Music, STEM, and Spanish classes
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
- "The First Thanksgiving" play; parental and school-wide attendance.
- Christmas and Spring musical performances.
- "100 Days" Celebration
- End-of-the-Year celebration
- Full-time aide in classroom
- Manipulative and online math program
- Social studies including studying maps, learning about Christmas traditions around the world and comparing cultures
- Reader’s Workshop: Novel studies, guided reading in small groups
- Phonics: Units of Study
- Writer’s Workshop
- Curriculum based field trip
- Daily recess on playground
- Classroom iPad learning time
- Hands-on "baby chick hatching" experience
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, Movement & PE, Music, STEM, and Spanish classes
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
- Christmas and Spring musical performances
- Holiday parties
- "101 Days" celebration
- Full-time aide split between two (2) second and third grade classrooms
- Focus on using the writing process to craft narrative,opinion, informational and poetry pieces
- Novel studies to connect with Science and Social Studies Units
- Study of Animal Habitats
- Study of Ancient Egypt & Greece Civilizations
- Flat Stanley Project
- Students create and present dioramas, posters and other interactive presentations
- Hands-on Science experiments
- Hands-on Math Manipulative used several times a week
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, PE, Music, STEM, and Spanish classes
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
- Curriculum based field trip
- Polar Express Day!
- Reader’s Workshop
- Writer’s Workshop: personal narratives, opinion writing, informational writing, and fairy tales
- Take Off Math: multiplication, division, unit fractions, measurement; includes dynamic whole group lessons and individualized digital content
- Interactive Social Studies units covering North American Geography, Government and Civics, and Economics
- Manuscript handwriting review and introduction to cursive
- Bible units on Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, PE, Music, STEM, and Spanish classes
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
- Curriculum based field trip
- Florida State project in conjunction with Social Studies curriculum
- Annual two-day field trip to St. Augustine
- Hands-on Science experiments in STEM Lab
- In-class novels integrated into the curriculum
- Technology (Chromebooks) integrated into each subject area beginning with Digital Learning course
- Essay Construction (Narrative, Persuasive, Informational, Literary Analysis, and Close Reading)
- In class Community Service Projects
- Quarterly AR Goals
- Differentiated Reading instruction per student readiness
- Literary Styles of the Bible
- Characteristics of God
- Weekly Centers using hands-on learning, small group instruction, and technology to review concepts
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, PE, Music, Digital Learning, and Spanish classes
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
- Quarterly AR goals and individual levels assessed
- Research projects and essays completed via Internet research and other sources
- Multi-level math groups
- Math lessons integrated with technology through IXL Math
- Math Manipulatives used as hands-on tools to assist during lessons
- In depth study of Greek and Latin word parts, prefixes and suffixes
- Cooperative Learning, Small group Instruction, Project-based learning
- Essay writing (narrative, persuasive, informational, creative, and reading responses)
- Hands-on science experiments in STEM Lab
- In-class novels integrated into the curriculum
- Life of Jesus studied throughout the school year
- In-class Community Service Projects
- Weekly specials: Art, Library, PE, Music/Choir, Digital Learning, and Spanish classes
- Curriculum based field trip and learning about business through participation in the Junior Achievement's Biztown
- Attend weekly school-wide Chapel
Elementary Teachers
