Curriculum and Methods
The mission of ACA is to “engage children in learning experiences that prepare their hearts and minds for life and for eternity”. With that as the goal, academic programs are rigorous and challenging, preparing students to think, reason and evaluate as they experience learning across all subject areas, integrating the Truth of the Word of God.
Kindergarten
The Kindergarten program strives to meet the developmental, emotional, social, academic and spiritual needs of the students. The emotional needs of the students are met by providing a structured and nurturing environment where each child is cared for as one of God’s precious children.
A hands-on approach gives students the opportunity to learn through exploration. Developmentally appropriate activities help children improve fine and gross motor skills. Students learn to cooperate with others, share, follow rules, and become increasingly independent through playing games, and participating in learning centers and imaginary play.
The Bible curriculum teaches children about God through thematic units such as “God Helps Me” and “God is My Friend”. Weekly scripture memorization helps children keep God’s Word in their hearts. A full academic program includes language arts, math, science, and social studies. In language arts, children begin by learning the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds. As the year progresses, they learn to blend those sounds together to read words and sentences. By the end of the school year, most of the students are able to read small books. They also learn to write letters and form and copy sentences.
In Math, students learn to identify and write numbers to 100, and count by 1s, 5s, and 10s. They learn to identify and understand the value of coins to a quarter, tell time to the hour, half hour, and quarter hour, add and subtract to ten, read numbers words, make comparisons, make and read graphs, explore patterns, fractions, and measurement. Science and social studies are taught in thematic units such as seasons, and weather. Art instruction is also an integral part of Kindergarten learning.
Educational field trips to farms, plays, and the aquarium are part of the learning experience.
Grades 1-3
As a Christian school, the teaching of the Bible is foundational to the education of the children of all ability levels. Christian values are taught and integrated through many disciplines. Students explore God’s gifts, the heroes of the faith, Jesus’ ministry as well as character traits. Students are encouraged to further integrate biblical values and teachings through weekly chapel speakers and presentations.
A Christian worldview is thoroughly integrated into a creative curriculum. Various genres are used to teach reading, spelling, writing skills, and literature appreciation. Recognizing that God is the God of creation and that He made the world, students explore the world around them, animal, plant life, and the human body. Students focus on map skills, special holidays, patriotic songs, westward expansion, and historical events and biographies. Students are taught research skills, project creation and presentation through the annual Festival of Excellence. Music, Spanish, physical education, art, and technology are included in the weekly schedule. Field trips to farms, plays, museums, and historic sites provide experiences to further enhance learning.
Grades 4&5
The fourth and fifth grade program focuses on developing the student’s ability to comprehend, reason, and evaluate within a biblical framework, building upon the student’s increased ability to think on an abstract level. Further focus is on improving the student’s ability to function independently, as well as within cooperative groups.
The school uses a blend of Christian and secular curriculums, incorporating a biblical worldview in all subjects. These subjects are taught in a variety of ways, including whole group, small group, and individualized instruction. The use of hands-on activities, projects, and other methods address various learning styles and student needs. Subject skills from the primary grades are practiced and further developed.
Specific time is devoted to the study of the Bible and committing to memory purposeful Scripture verses. Specific areas of study include the use of Bible study tools, basic Bible doctrine, and Old Testament survey with an emphasis on key personalities.
Math skills covered in these grades include increasingly complex addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Students also become familiar with fractions, decimals, units of measurement, introductory algebra concepts, and word problems. The school’s annual Math Week allows a week to focus on mathematics as it relates to other disciplines and careers.
In language arts, the program focuses on the learning of new vocabulary and comprehension skills through the use of reading selections from various genres of literature. Through this program, students are also cultivating critical thinking skills as they analyze and respond to the reading passages. Fourth and fifth grade students study grammar and learn writing skills, beginning with sentences, and progressing to paragraphs, essays, poetry, short stories and report-writing.
The science program focuses on the study of various topics from the animal kingdom to different branches of earth and space science, and to the physical science topics of light and energy. Our history program focuses on the history and geography of New Jersey in fourth grade and United States history and geography in fifth grade.
A major thrust of our school and intermediate program is the development of a major research project for the school’s annual Festival of Excellence. Research and writing skills are emphasized as the students prepare projects that complement the social studies curriculum.
Middle School Grades 6-8
Ambassador Christian Academy’s Middle School recognizes the unique needs of early adolescents and aims to tailor a program to the needs of these students. In the middle school setting, students are introduced to changing classes during the school day, maintaining lockers, and learning to interact with the other middle school grade levels. Our middle school, though individual in academic programs, has many unifying and cross-grade activities. Teachers and staff provide godly guidance while allowing middle school students privileges such as morning announcements, participating in sports programs, preparing the school yearbook, and serving on student council and the worship team.
Students are also challenged in mathematics using concepts from algebra and geometry in all middle school levels. Greater challenges come at the 8th grade level when students can move into the Algebra I course, which is taught at the high school level and gives students preparation to move forward into Geometry in high school, if they desire. The middle school participates in Math Week, doing many activities related to math as well as integrating math into those subjects that might not necessarily have a math component. Students participate in the Math Olympics in which they reason and compute equations and problems as they compete against other schools.
Parent participation is encouraged during this sensitive time in an adolescent’s life. Parents join students in all areas of academics and social activities, as well as sports and field trips. Teachers and parents work together to bring students to their highest level of achievement in each subject area, spiritual maturity and emotional maturity in a unique setting that enriches the relationship between home, church and school. Ambassador Christian Academy’s Middle School recognizes the unique needs of early adolescents and aims to tailor a program to the needs of these students.
Students are challenged to think and reason at more advanced levels, incorporating questioning and dialogue to challenge their opinions and beliefs, in an effort to internalize a Biblical worldview.
Homework is assigned in all grade levels and is expected to reflect subjects being studied in the classroom. Effort is made in the middle school to coordinate schedules in order to avoid multiple tests given on a particular day. On Wednesdays, weekends and holidays, lengthy assignments are not encouraged. Guidelines giving the amount of time students should be expected to spend on homework are outlined in the Parent Handbook. Students may be required to complete assignments on-line with Study Island, an engaging, creative program purchased for K-8th grade students, challenging them in math and language arts skills. Teachers monitor student progress and success in the program with regular online reports.