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Religion 7
Using the Baltimore Catechism #3, this class will meet every week and will give students a clear, concise presentation of the truths of the Faith and answer questions that arise in the preceding weeks. The text begins with a section of classic Catholic prayers, including the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition, and more. Each of the 33 lessons starts with the famous format of phoneticized words and meanings, a dictionary to help with learning the vocabulary and includes a compilation of common Catholic prayers and hymns. The class includes daily lesson plans with reading assignments, memorization work, online weekly quizzes, and online quarterly tests.
History 7
The author Anne Caroll says the following:
". . . to find the most important event in the history of the world, we must find an event that had a great influence at the time it occurred, that is still influencing history at the present time, and that even made a difference in history before it occurred. There is only one event that meets all these requirements. That event is what Christians call the Incarnation: the birth, life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ . . . This history book, therefore will be based on the fact that the Incarnation is the central event in history and that everything else that has happened has meaning in relationship to this event. But this is not a study of religion under another name. We will find out what happened in history, why it happened, what its results were, and what difference it made afterward. We will study the great people who have made history and their achievements. We will meet heroes and villains. In fact, we will cover most of the events other history books present. If this method seems strange, keep one fact in mind: there is only one event which has influenced every single person who ever lived --- including every person reading this book. That event is the Incarnation of Jesus Christ."
Weekly chapter study guides to help prepare for chapter tests are provided. Guides include the following:
- Reading Assignment
- Vocabulary
- People to Identify
- Events to Identify
- Review Questions
- Timeline Activity
- Chapter Quiz
For a slightly higher tuition fee, this course can be taken synchronously (with a live class). See Tuition pricing for 7th Grade - Option 2.
Language Arts 7 includes Grammar 7, Book Reviews using the first five books in the 7th Grade Reading List, and Progymnasmata A
Grammar 7
This course will provide a lesson plan, online weekly quizzes, and four quarter tests. The text we will use is the Easy Grammar Plus. With an easy reading level, students focus directly on concepts. Using a prepositional approach, sentences are stripped to basics for students to identify subject and verb and to build on more challenging topics. Concepts are presented in grammar units.In this course the student will review previous concepts and learn perfect and progressive tenses, gerunds, and different clauses. More difficult punctuation and capitalization rules are also covered.
Book Reviews
Students write three book reviews incorporating concepts learned from Progymnasmata writing instruction portion of the course. Progymnastmata teachers provide individualized instruction walking students through the book review writing process. Progym A students use the 7th Grade Reading List.
Progymnasmata A
From the Hellenistic period to the renaissance in Europe, students began their study of rhetoric (i.e., the skill of speaking and writing logically, clearly, and effectively) with the progymnasmata. The progymnasmata rudimentary exercises aid beginners in prose composition. There are fourteen levels of exercises; grades 7 and 8 engage the first six levels; the higher levels are incorporated into essays assigned for English and history throughout the four years of high school.
7th Grade Level - A
- Fable
- Narrative I
8th Grade Level Level - B
(Prerequisite - Fable and Narrative I):
- Narrative
- Anecdote
- Proverb
- Refutation
- Confirmation
Included in the 9th - 11 Grade English and History Courses
(Prerequisite - None; however, 7th and 8th-grade levels are strongly recommended):
- Refutation
- Confirmation
- Commonplace
- Encomium
- Vituperation
- Comparison
- Impersonation
- Description
- Thesis
- Defend/Attack a Law
Prerequisites:
None; however, students enrolling in Progymnasmata A must complete a grammar proficiency test prior to the start of classes as the course presumes either mastery of sixth / seventh-grade grammar skills.
1. What do the courses involve?
The courses combine step-by-step instruction with repetitive exercises at each level. Learning to think and write well requires much time and effort; this program provides two years of consistent, incremental instruction. Progym 7 focuses on descriptive writing, fables, and short essays. Progym 8 fortifies descriptive writing skills and directs students into more developed, longer, essays.
2. Do the Progymnasta prepare a student for college writing?
Yes. One of the college professor's most frequent comments on student essays is, "Your idea is good but not sufficiently developed." Such a criticism will never be applied to a skilled veteran of the progymnasmata. A student who successfully advances through the levels of the progymnasmata internalizes the tools he needs to tackle any form of college essay. In addition, the student enrolled in the progymnasmata learns basics in creative writing forms, such as fiction and poetry writing. Finally, the course provides frequent writing and revising opportunities for the student, enabling him to polish his style.
3. My child enjoys creative writing. Will he be able to use creative writing in this course?
In this program, students learn elements of fiction and poetry writing corresponding to each assignment. Although all types of writing involve creativity, several of the levels, such as the fable, description and commonplace are particularly suited for students who enjoy writing fiction or poetry. However, students may not fail to meet stated objectives for a lesson on grounds of "creativity."
4. My child doesn't enjoy creative writing. What's in this course for him?
The main requirement of each lesson is to meet the clearly stated objective(s) by (1) using the assigned tools of amplification, (2) meeting grammar and punctuation requirements, and (3) by timeliness. "Creativity", in the sense of possessing a talent for fiction or poetry, is not a requirement of this course. However, don't be surprised if, through the progymnasmata, your student discovers that he has more creative flair than he previously realized.
5. What exactly, are the progymnasmata?
They are a structured series of exercises in expanding or developing thought through writing. They were the classical preparation for rhetoric, or persuasive writing and speaking. For more information, see the Silva Rhetorica website, developed by Dr. Gideon Burton of Brigham Young University.
6. What is rhetoric and what is the history of the progymnasmata?
Rhetoric is the art of persuasion; its Christian master is St. Augustine. Rhetoric has been an important element of western civilization from its inception; wherever masters have taught, they have created various exercises for their students; the best known, though not the earliest, manuals of rules and exercises for composition are those of Hermogenes, a Greek rhetorician of the late second century and Apthonius, of the fourth century. Early Church Fathers -- Tertullian, St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine -- adapted classical rhetoric for use in Christian discourse and the humanists of the European Renaissance revived Cicero and Quintilian as rhetorical models. The progymnasmata are still discernible, though in a degraded form, in modern composition pedagogy.
7. What makes the progymnasmata effective?
It would be difficult to quantify all the reasons for their effectiveness but we can list four very important ones here: (1) The progymnasmata provide the student a set methodical, incremental structures, building skill upon skill and internalizing the skills taught by repetition throughout increasingly complex forms of discourse; (2) the student learns timeless rhetorical tools from the masters, imitating fables from Aesop, narratives from Ovid, and legal arguments from Cicero; (3) he will be able to recognize these same rhetorical devices in the writings of the Church Fathers, providing a deepened sense of the communion of Saints; (4) he sees classical techniques of amplification used by authors of later historical periods, gaining an appreciation of the timelessness of the skills he is working to develop.
8. What textbook do you use?
No textbook required. Lessons are provided.
Math 7
This course is the prerequisite for the 8th-grade Prealgebra course. It provides an additional year of mathematics for those students who may benefit from further study or review. It covers the following concepts:
- whole numbers
- fractions
- decimals
- ratio and proportions
- percent
- measurement in higher math
- introduction to algebra
- introduction to geometry
Live classes meet weekly Monday through Thursday. Along with live class meetings, students will complete their daily assignments using an online homework and tutorial system, MathXL. Access to MathXL is provided by Queen of Heaven Academy at no charge.
Science 7
A life sciences survey course for the 7th or 8th-grade student. Course components include:
- plant cell
- the animal cell
- structure and function of DNA
- food production in the plant
- energy production of the cell
- classifying life in the Kingdoms of Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia
- the anatomy and workings of the human body: bones and muscles, the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic, endocrine and urinary systems.
Discussions held throughout the year will use the text and supplemental material to examine these topics.
NB: One textbook contains a section on human reproduction. This will not be taught in the course, but since it is in the textbook, parents need to preview the book and discern appropriate action for their student.
One textbook contains some aspects of evolution in its teaching. This course will not be taught from the evolutionary point of view, but the course will discuss viruses, bacteria, and other information in the book. This text will be used as a reference only.
Roman Life and History
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! Let’s examine ancient Roman society and discover how it has served as a foundation for much of present-day Western civilization. From our government and laws to our art and architecture, to our language and methods of warfare, our modern society has been heavily influenced by the Romans. We will walk with the Romans through their history, from the founding of their empire to its fateful demise. Along the way, we’ll encounter many famous (or dare we say, infamous?) Romans—including Cicero, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Virgil, Horace, Nero, Diocletian, and Constantine … just to name a few! We’ll learn about sites such as the Roman Forum, the Coliseum, and the Catacombs and their importance in Roman life and culture. And we’ll witness Christianity in its earliest years—cruelly persecuted by the Romans for several centuries, but ultimately triumphing during the reign of Constantine. Join us as we hearken back to a bygone era, a time of emperors and gladiators, artisans and orators, centurions and martyrs … a time when all roads led to Rome!
Roman Life and History is a two-semester course. Students meet online each week for an instructor-led class lasting 1 hour, where discussions reinforce the readings and introduce great artwork. Students are required to post their thoughts on assigned topics on the discussion forum. Weekly homework is assigned—including readings, vocabulary, timelines, map work, and quizzes—and quarterly tests are given in the form of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and identification questions. Little typing is required. The reading list for this course will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the books listed on the 8th-grade textbook page.
NOTE: Mature 6th graders, 7th, and 8th-grade students may enroll in this course.
This course can be substituted for the live, interactive History 7 or History 8 course.
Math Assistance Tutoring
Math assistance is a once a week, one hour a week, individual tutoring session. Students will log into Adobe Connect each week and spend the hour one-on-one with the teacher working through homework problems, preparing for upcoming tests or quizzes or reviewing math concepts covered in class. Math assistance can also be used for those students seeking more challenging work than what is covered in the classroom. The student will use a microphone and webcam, as well as write on the “whiteboard.”
At the start of the school year, the student and teacher will agree upon a time and day of the week for the tutoring sessions which will cover all 36 weeks of the Queen of Heaven Academy academic year.
Math assistance is available for all grades and all levels.
Prerequisites: None
Required Texts:
- None Required.