Notes on Curriculum

Developed and Written by Keith Richard, NID Teacher

• It will be a usable document for schools using the current Voyages program as well as for schools not using the program.

• I originally was going to include the actual Voyages grade level objectives from the program, but in the end decided against it.  I did however, in the planning process, fit all of the Voyages objectives somewhere into each grade level curriculum piece. 

• The Scripture Goal will support the Voyages Bible Story Scope and Sequence.  It does not match it completely, but I did have their document by my side as I went through it.  Basically grades 1 through 4 are an overview of all of scripture.  Each year there is more depth and more stories.  In grade 5 there is a definite Old Testament push with some New Testament, and in grade 6 there is definitely a New Testament push with some Old Testament.

• Grades 7 & 8 get a little tricky.  Voyages sets up 7^th grade as all Old Testament and 8^th grade as all New Testament.  I am going to stray from that a little in an attempt to make this curriculum confirmation friendly (however, you may have to adapt it to fit your structure for confirmation since many of our schools address first communion and confirmation differently).

• There will be an Old Testament push in 7^th and a New Testament push in 8^th, however, I do want to give significant time to the doctrine goal in 7^th and 8^th as well.  There are 10 doctrine sections under Goal 2 Standard A.  Five of those would be focused on in grade 7 and the other five in grade 8. 

• The New Testament study that 7^th grade would do, would be directly related to the doctrinal issue being studied.  The Old Testament study 8^th grade would do, would then be directly related to the doctrinal issues they are studying. 

• Much of the doctrine and corresponding scripture in grades 7 and 8 will come straight from the catechism.

• Memory was a struggle.  I think this is the area that may stray the most from the Voyages curriculum.  My thought is fewer verses, hoping that our cycle will actually stick in a child’s head after they have said it to their teacher.

One final note: 

Given the nature of religious instruction, some objectives are not measurable by teachers.  Faith development is a personal journey facilitated by the Holy Spirit.  This is different than other areas of curriculum and should be duly noted.