AT SANTA FE CHRISTIAN, students are formed into discerning thinkers, resilient risk-takers, purposeful contributors, intentional leaders, gracious communicators, and responsible caretakers, all while seeking God’s Truth in every aspect of life. By remaining curious, asking thoughtful questions, and distinguishing facts from opinions, students develop the ability to evaluate information through a Biblical lens rather than relative truths. This pursuit deepens their dependence on God and equips them to recognize what is true, good, and beautiful in the world around them.
As resilient risk-takers, students embrace productive struggle by trying new things, persevering through challenges, and growing from mistakes. They learn that success often comes through setbacks, and confidence is built by facing difficulties with courage. Purposeful contributors take initiative, look for ways to make things better, and participate with intention, ultimately developing innovative skills that create value for others. In every opportunity, students are encouraged to serve with genuine care, lead by example, and positively impact their communities for Christ.
Gracious communicators and responsible caretakers model empathy, clarity, and integrity in interactions. By listening patiently, choosing words thoughtfully, and speaking truth with kindness, they foster an environment of respect and compassion. Students also learn to steward resources wisely, treat shared spaces with care, and follow through on commitments. Whether setting a positive example, offering gentle feedback, or making responsible choices. Our hope is they grow into individuals who live with wisdom, humility, and service at the center of their lives.
DISCERNING THINKERS
Remain curious
Ask good questions
Understand facts from opinion
Evaluate information and look for evidence
RESILIENT RISK-TAKERS
Try new things
Persevere; practice makes better
Develop confidence in facing challenges
Learn and grow from mistakes
PURPOSEFUL CONTRIBUTORS
Take initiative
Participate with intention
Find ways to make things better
Speak with a polite tone of voice
INTENTIONAL LEADERS
Take ownership of their behavior
Consider those around them
Include and respect others
Set a positive example
GRACIOUS COMMUNICATORS
Listen attentively and patiently
Choose words thoughtfully
Apologize sincerely
Offer feedback in a gentle and helpful way
RESPONSIBLE CARETAKERS
Come to class ready and prepared
Treat school supplies and shared spaces with care
Follow through on tasks
Make responsible and safe choices
KINDERGARTEN
KINDERGARTEN AT SFC offers an environment in which children are encouraged to explore and discover the world God has created. The kindergarten program is designed to cultivate strong reading skills in young learners, offering a structured approach that covers phonemic awareness, systematic phonics instruction, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, and early writing skills. In small groups, the students work with our Literacy Specialist as part of their weekly rotations. Our kindergarten program aims to integrate early writing, reading, oral communication, and language usage skills into all areas of instruction. The emotional growth of the child, including interactions with peers and adults, is central to the curriculum design. With class sizes of 20 students, the program fosters the recognition of the contributions of each child, the varied cognitive development level of each student and their spiritual growth as a child of God.
• Engineering/Coding – Sequence Coding, Design Process
SCIENCE LAB
• Experiential, hands-on extension of science curriculum. Example – Dissection of a pickle
BIBLE & CHAPEL
TEXTBOOKS
• DeepRoots Bible
• New City Catechism, Crossway Publishing
MAIN TOPICS
• Sur vey of the Old and New Testaments
• Weekly memory verse
• Weekly K-5 Chapel
MUSIC
MAIN TOPICS
• Vocal and instrumental music – Basics of rhythm and note reading through the use of unpitched percussion instruments and pretuned ukuleles
• Music history and appreciation
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
MAIN TOPICS
• Focus on spatial and directional awareness, locomotor skills, throwing and catching skills, as well as ball-handling skills, agility, kicking, punting, striking, and rhythm skills
• Organized sports during lunchtime
SPANISH
MAIN TOPICS
• Linguistic and cultural study of Spanish
• Interactive play-based activities, children’s stories, songs, and role-play
• Hispanic and Latino culture through music, literature, and special celebrations
FINE
ART
MAIN TOPICS
• Elements of art and color theory
• Art History
• Art Expression – Use of tools and various mediums; learn to create using different techniques
• Cross-curricular projects
1
FIRST GRADE
FIRST GRADE IS FILLED WITH opportunities for students to appreciate and develop the many different talents God has given them. Working with three classes of approximately 20 students each, SFC’s experienced team of teachers and literacy specialists guides every child through the reading process at a pace that is both developmentally and academically appropriate. The school’s mathematics program focuses on understanding the “how,” “when,” and “why” of mathematical applications as new concepts are presented. SFC’s reading program includes phonemic awareness, phonics/ decoding, morphology, vocabulary, spelling, fluency, and comprehension. Students also learn about the community outside of SFC through various service projects and local field trips. The teachers use this focus on community to instill in students an understanding of who God is and how to live out His teachings by loving our neighbors and sharing with them the Good News.
MATH
TEXTBOOK
• Math in Focus, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEXTBOOKS
• Heggerty Phonemic Awareness
• Orton-Gillingham Plus Literacy
• Zaner-Bloser Printing
HISTORY
TEXTBOOK
• Studies Weekly
MAIN TOPICS
• American Monuments
• Presidents and Leaders, Rights and Responsibilities, What is History?
• Civics and Citizenship, My Community, Fact or Fiction
SCIENCE
TEXTBOOK
• Mystery Science
MAIN TOPICS
• Space and Patterns, Light and Sound Travel, Plant and Animal Growth
• Engineering/Coding – Introduction to binary code
SCIENCE LAB
• Experiential, hands-on extension of science curriculum. Example – Dissection of a grasshopper
BIBLE & CHAPEL
TEXTBOOKS
• DeepRoots Bible
• New City Catechism, Crossway Publishing
MAIN TOPICS
• Genesis to Joshua, Biblical Worldview through subject integration
• Weekly memory verse
• Weekly K-5 Chapel
MUSIC
MAIN TOPICS
• Vocal and instrumental music – Basics of rhythm and note reading through the use of unpitched percussion instruments, pretuned ukeleles, and keyboards
• Interactive play-based activities, children’s stories, songs, and role-play
• Hispanic and Latino culture through music, literature, and participation of celebrations
• Thematic units foster contextual language acquisition
FINE
ART
MAIN TOPICS
• Elements of art and color theory
• Art History – Study of artists, such as Van Gogh, Pollock, Picasso, and others
• Art Expression – Use of tools and various mediums; learn to create using different techniques
• Cross-curricular projects
2
SECOND GRADE
SECOND GRADE STUDENTS grow in their independence and take responsibility for their learning through inquiry, discussion, and reflection. Students build on the literacy skills acquired in first grade in order to become fluent readers with strong comprehension skills. Students use graphic organizers to classify information and connect ideas as they develop three-part stories. Finished products at this grade level reflect an introductory emphasis on writing mechanics and conventions. Various teaching strategies are used in mathematics in order to help students move from the concrete and symbolic levels to abstract thoughts. SFC’s reading program includes phonemic awareness, phonics/ decoding, morphology, vocabulary, spelling, fluency, and comprehension. Students work in small groups to meet the needs of the varied learners in the classroom. Second-grade students regularly take part in discussions and activities that focus on respect, making wise choices, relationships with others, and the importance of following God’s commands. The second-grade teachers foster an appreciation of traditions, history, and customs that will help students understand similar cross-cultural experiences which unite all of God’s people.
MATH
TEXTBOOK
• Math in Focus, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEXTBOOKS
• Orton-Gillingham Plus Literacy
• Words Their Way Spelling
• Sadlier Grammar
• Zaner-Bloser Printing & Cursive
NOVEL STUDIES
• Examples: Mr. Poppers Penguin, Flat Stanley, Lilly and Miss Liberty, Ranger in Time, Freckle Juice
HISTORY
TEXTBOOK
• Studies Weekly
MAIN TOPICS
• Timeline, Cause and Effect, Rules and Consequences, Map Skills
• Primary and Secondary Sources, Important Documents
• Explorers and Early America, Geography, Economics
SCIENCE
TEXTBOOK
• Mystery Science
MAIN TOPICS
• Properties of Matter, Ecosystems, Earth formation Engineering/Coding – Design balloon float using Dash robot
SCIENCE LAB
• Experiential, hands-on extension of science curriculum. Example – Dissection of a squid
BIBLE & CHAPEL
TEXTBOOKS
• DeepRoots Bible
• New City Catechism, Crossway Publishing
MAIN TOPICS
• Life of Jesus
• Weekly memory verse
• Weekly K-5 Chapel
MUSIC
MAIN TOPICS
• Vocal and instrumental music – Basics of rhythm and note-reading through the use of unpitched percussion instruments, pretuned ukeleles, and keyboards
• Interactive play-based activities, children’s stories, songs, and role-play
• Hispanic and Latino culture through music, literature, and participation in celebrations
• Thematic units foster contextual language acquisition
FINE ART
MAIN TOPICS
• Elements of art and color theory
• Art History – Study of artists such as Van Gogh, Pollock, Picasso, and others
• Art Expression – Use of tools and various mediums; learn to create using different techniques
• Cross-curricular projects
3
THIRD GRADE
THIRD GRADE IS THE ENTRANCE YEAR to the intermediate grades at SFC. This program is grounded in a firm understanding of the academic, social, and spiritual developmental needs of eight to nine-year-old children. Students continue to work on comprehension skills through the reading program, which includes novel studies. Skillful teachers emphasize critical thinking through indepth literary character analysis, group discussions that focus on problem-solving, and open-ended questions that require a deep understanding of the text. Students develop both narrative and expository writing skills through a variety of formal and informal writing assignments, as well as oral presentations. All subjects are taught explicitly through a biblical lens, and opportunities to share out their personal faith are provided in the classroom.
MATH
TEXTBOOK
• Math in Focus, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEXTBOOKS
• Wordly Wise Vocabulary
• Words Their Way
• Sadlier Grammar
• Zaner-Bloser Cursive
NOVEL STUDIES
• Examples: Charlotte’s Web, The Wild Robot, The One and Only Ivan, Fables, Stone Fox
HISTORY
TEXTBOOK
• Studies Weekly
MAIN TOPICS
• Laws and Rules, Government, Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities
• CA Native Americans
• Geography – CA Regions, Landforms, Bodies of Water
SCIENCE
TEXTBOOK
• Mystery Science
MAIN TOPICS
• Interdependence in Ecosystems, Life Cycles and Traits, Forces and Interactions, Weather and Climate
• Making connections and comparisons among cultures
• Thematic units which foster contextual language acquisition
FINE ART
MAIN TOPICS
• Elements of art and color theory
• Art History – Study of artists such as Katsushika Hokusai, Jon Klassen, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and others
• Art Expression – Use of various mediums and techniques, such as acrylic paint, oil paint, sculpture, printmaking, weaving, and drawing
• Cross-curricular projects
FOURTH GRADE
FOURTH GRADE BROADENS students’ views of the world through a year-long exploration of California history. The school year culminates with a trip to Sacramento, our state capitol. During fourth grade, students improve oral and written expression through activities that focus on vocabulary development in addition to improvement of grammar skills. They expand previously learned writing skills to include the development of expository reports. In math, students solve multistepped story problems as well as apply computation skills for accuracy. Students are encouraged to explore, discuss, question, and verify mathematical concepts. Emphasis is placed on problem solving, development of numerical reasoning and communication, and practical application of skills.
MATH
TEXTBOOK
• Math in Focus, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEXTBOOKS
• Words Their Way
• Worldy Wise
• Sadlier Grammar
NOVEL STUDIES
• Examples: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, By the Great Horn Spoon, The War with Grandpa, Esperanza Rising
HISTORY
TEXTBOOK
• Studies Weekly
MAIN TOPICS
• California Becomes a State, Geography, Map Skills, Natural Resources, Gold Rush, MexicanAmerican War, Transcontinental Railroad
• Civics and Government
• Field trip to state capitol in Sacramento
SCIENCE
TEXTBOOK
• Mystery Science
MAIN TOPICS
• Types of Energy, Electrical Circuits, Rocks and Minerals, Animal Adaptation
• Engineering/Coding – Scratch, 3D Printing
SCIENCE LAB
• Experiential, hands-on extension of science curriculum. Example – Dissection of a fish
BIBLE & CHAPEL
TEXTBOOKS
• DeepRoots Bible
• New City Catechism, Crossway Publishing
MAIN TOPICS
• Acts and the Early Church, Biblical Worldview through subject integration, Biblical Timeline
• Weekly memory verse
• Weekly K-5 Chapel
MUSIC
MAIN TOPICS
• Vocal and instrumental music – Learn to play ukulele, recorder, xylophone, and other pitched and unpitched percussion instruments and keyboard
• Music history and appreciation – Study various forms of music (classical, jazz, folk, gospel, etc.)
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
MAIN TOPICS
• Fundamentals of sports skills and improvement of muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility
• Games and activities to encourage an active lifestyle while responding with a godly character
• Acceptance of teammates at all skill levels and adherence to Biblical principles for sportsmanship
• Organized sports during lunchtime
SPANISH
MAIN TOPICS
• Speaking and active listening skills in authentic contexts are emphasized with a secondary focus on reading and writing
• Making connections and comparisons among cultures
• Thematic units which foster contextual language acquisition
FINE ART
MAIN TOPICS
• Elements of art and color theory
• Art History – Study of artists such as Katsushika Hokusai, Jon Klassen, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol, and others
• Art Expression – Use of various mediums and techniques, such as acrylic paint, oil paint, sculpture, printmaking, weaving, and drawing
• Cross-curricular projects
5
FIFTH GRADE
FIFTH GRADE MARKS THE CULMINATION of the Elementary School experience for our students. In addition to independent reading, students explore five novels in class. Literature selection reflects an emphasis on academic and social development themes that provide avenues for teachers to help students wrestle with heavy themes of war and freedom. The math program extends students’ understanding of numeration, operations, applications, and problem solving in preparation for Middle School. In social studies, our fifth-grade students study United States history through 1865. Colonialism, slavery, the Westward Movement, and the Civil War are examined from various perspectives. The development of positive study habits and important study skills is firmly established in the academic program, focusing on self-management and timemanagement skills and strategies for making choices.
MATH
TEXTBOOK
• Math in Focus, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TEXTBOOKS
• Words Their Way
• Wordly Wise
• Sadlier Grammar
NOVEL STUDIES
• Examples: Holes, Number the Stars, The Fighting Ground, George Washington’s Socks, A Long Walk to Water, Bud Not Buddy
HISTORY
TEXTBOOK
• Studies Weekly
MAIN TOPICS
• A New Nation – US Histor y to 1820
• Geography – Trade Routes, States
• Civics, Branches of Government, Checks and Balances
SCIENCE
TEXTBOOK
• Mystery Science
MAIN TOPICS
• Physical and Chemical Change, Water System, Stars and the Solar System
• Independent/dependent variables in experiments
• Engineering/Coding – Scratch, 3D Printing
SCIENCE LAB
• Experiential, hands-on extension of science curriculum. Example – Dissection of a sheep heart
BIBLE & CHAPEL
TEXTBOOKS
• DeepRoots Bible
• New City Catechism, Crossway Publishing
MAIN TOPICS
• Acts and the Early Church, Biblical Worldview through subject integration, Biblical timeline
• Weekly memory verse
• Weekly K-5 Chapel
MUSIC
MAIN TOPICS
• Vocal and instrumental music – Learn to play ukulele, recorder, xylophone, and other pitched and unpitched percussion instruments and keyboard
• Music history and appreciation – Study various forms of music (classical, jazz, folk, gospel, etc.)
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
MAIN TOPICS
• Fundamentals of sports skills and improvement of muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility
• Games and activities to encourage an active lifestyle while responding with a godly character
• Acceptance of teammates at all skill levels and adherence to Biblical principles for sportsmanship
• Organized sports during lunchtime
SPANISH
MAIN TOPICS
• Speaking and active listening skills in authentic contexts are emphasized with a secondary focus on reading and writing
