Specials
Manheim Christian Day School provides students with a well-rounded curriculum that helps to foster the God-given gifts and talents of each student. In addition to the daily core classes, we offer deeper learning opportunities in a variety of “specials” and extra-curricular activities throughout their time at MCDS. The specials offered are Art, Computer, Library, Music, and Health and Physical Education.
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Primary
Intermediate
Middle School
Specials
Art
Computer
Library
Music
Health & Phys Ed
Afternoon Club
ART
“Everyone is an artist.” –Joseph Beuys
We are made in the image of a Creator God and are therefore made to create. For some, that means making beautiful art, for other, a delicious dinner, or a fantastic spreadsheet.
In the art room, we harness our God-inspired creativity to make art. Students have the opportunity to create a variety of projects over the course of the school year. Each project incorporates either an artist or movement from art history; Elements of Art and Principles of Design; or a new skill or technique. We try new materials from 2D paintings, drawings, and collages, to 3D sculptures and weavings. Each year builds upon the last to ensure a cohesive art education that allows self-expression, success on an individual level, and prepares students for the high school level.
Kindergarten:
Includes the development of motor skill and the appropriate manipulation of materials. Students should begin to recognize basic art concepts and express personal feelings through art. They should also become aware of the art of other time periods, places and peoples. Students will understand that their works of art are unique and valuable as self-expression.
First Grade:
Includes the further development of hand-eye coordination art activities such as rubbing, stamping, tearing, & weaving. Students should begin to perceive spacial relationships, identify primary & secondary colors, distinguish line variation in drawing and painting and produce shapes and textures.
SECOND Grade:
Includes continued development of fine motor skills and observed abilities. Students should realize the narrative qualities of art and greatly expand on their knowledge of basic art concepts including: symmetry, overlapping, color value, geometric/organic shapes & line variation.
THIRD Grade:
Includes the ability to demonstrate various illusions on a picture plane and basic color theory. Students should be able to illustrate in greater detail and discuss their art work using appropriate vocabulary.
Fourth Grade:
Includes the progressive manipulation of art tools and the application of critical thinking skills when observing, classifying and describing art. Students should increase cultural awareness and further utilization of community art resources.
Fifth Grade:
Includes the increased ability to observe and render three dimensional objects, the human figure and linear perspective. The students should improve their application of critical thinking skill when observing, classifying, describing, analyzing and judging art.
Sixth-Eighth Grades:
- Developing Aesthetic Awareness, Imagination, Perception, Appreciation, Knowledge, & Skills
- Fostering Creativity, Self-expression, Self-confidence, & Self-discipline
- Expanding Craftsmanship, Problem Solving Abilities, Cultural Understanding, & Safety Procedures
- Participating in clean-up, share and help others, respect the property of the school and others, take turns, & work in groups.
COMPUTER
- Honor God with our behavior and words (online and in person)
- Become familiar with computer terminology
- Develop proper keyboarding skills
- Use Google Suite for Education
- Conduct Internet research
- Introduce coding (first through fourth grade)
Kindergarten:
Students in five day Kindergarten meet once a week for 20 minutes. We focus on developing motor skills and manipulating a mouse. Students become familiar with computer terminology, logging on and off of the computer, how to handle and care for equipment as well as digital citizenship.
First Grade:
First graders meet once a week for 30 minutes and we spend a lot of time developing motor skills and keyboard familiarity, terminology and the proper handling of laptops. Students are introduced to Google Classroom and keyboard programs. We also begin coding activities.
SECOND Grade:
Second graders continue keyboarding in more depth and begin accessing Google Classroom for assignments. Students learn to navigate the Google Classroom site and other online educational sites. This practice develops their writing skills and allows them to be creative with drawing tools.
THIRD & FOURTH Grade:
Third and Fourth graders meet twice a week for 30 minutes. Proper keyboarding skills are taught and practiced and the students really begin to see their speed and accuracy increase. We use Google Classroom much more and learn how to use drawing tools, create presentations with Google Slides, type papers and letters on Google Docs, collect data and use Google Sheets to create charts. We learn how to conduct research and evaluate sources.
Fifth Grade:
Fifth Grade has computer class for one semester as an elective. We meet once a week for 45 minutes. Students conduct online research and create a presentation on Google Slides. This presentation is accompanied by a speech and presented to the class. Students use Sheets to collect and display data and create charts in Docs. Students also learn how to be a responsible digital citizen.
LIBRARY
Pre-K through 4th GradeS:
- Develop an appreciation for many different genres of literature
- Become familiar with the writings of many different authors
- Learn to take good care of library materials
- Learn to locate the materials in the library that they want to use
- Learn responsibility for library materials by returning them when due
- Learn methods to research different topics (2nd-4th grade)
- Learn about Dewey decimal system (3rd & 4th grade)
5th through 8th GradeS:
- These students use the library independently
Special Projects and Events:
- “Reading Around the World” reading incentive
- Readers’ theaters portraying various kinds of literature
- “Poem in Your Pocket” week is celebrated in April each year
MUSIC
Curriculum: Silver Burdett Making Music 2008 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pre-Kindergarten:
Includes: classroom instruments, tempo, dynamics, steady beat, pitch, and singing
Kindergarten:
Includes: classroom instruments, dynamics, tempo, pitch, steady beat, singing, and introduction to notes
FIRST Grade:
Includes: basic rhythms, introduction to solfege, dynamics, tempo, pitch, texture, form, and introduction to the music staff
SECOND Grade:
Includes: solfege syllables and hand signs, introduction to music symbols, dynamics, tempo, form, note names and their values, and melodic direction
THIRD Grade:
Includes: solfege syllables and hand signs, note names and their values, pitch, dynamics, tempo form, and music symbols
Includes: learning to play recorder, solfege syllables and hand signs, pitch, note names and their values, dynamics, tempo, measure, and time signatures
FIFTH Grade:
FOURTH Grade:
SIXTH Grade:
SEVENTH Grade:
eighth Grade:
Special Events/Groups
- All School Christmas and Spring Programs
- Middle School Worship Team elective
Health & Physical Education
The mission of MCDS Health and Physical Education program is to provide quality health and physical education in a Christ-centered environment which promotes each student’s optimum physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual development. It allows students to explore a variety of activities and sports they can participate in and enjoy throughout their lives.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“There is no better exercise for strengthening the heart than reaching down and lifting up another.”
– Anonymous
PRE-K & Kindergarten:
Basic skills, movement, coordination, simple games.
First & SECOND Grade:
Building on basic skills, movement and coordination with simple games. Introducing teamwork and cooperative skills.
THIRD & FOURTH Grade:
More complex games that include teamwork, decision-making skills, cooperative skills and sportsmanship. Introduction to team sports and lifetime physical activities.
Health Curriculum:
5th Grade:
Total Health & Wellness Triangle, Mental & Emotional Health (individual health, peer pressure, managing stress), Human Growth & Development, Personal Health & Physical Activity, Diseases
6th Grade:
Total Health & Wellness Triangle, Family & Social Health (family, friends, healthy relationships, peer pressure), Human Growth & Development, Personal Health & Physical Activity, Injury Prevention and Basic First Aid, Goal-Setting, Decision-Making Skills
7th Grade:
Total Health & Wellness Triangle, Nutrition, Body Systems, Human Growth & Development, Personal Health & Physical Activity, Diseases
8th Grade:
Total Health & Wellness Triangle, Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs, Body Systems, Human Growth & Development, Personal Health & Physical Activity, Injury Prevention & Basic First Aid, Goal-Setting, Decision-Making Skills
-Established 2020
FIFTH–EIGHTH Grade:
Emphasis on individual skill development, understanding the process of stretching, training vs. practice and playing for competition and enjoyment. Stronger emphasis on teamwork, cooperative skills, sportsmanship and how to be a good teammate. A deeper look at physical activities for lifelong health and wellness. Focus on goal setting, following a plan and reflecting on and evaluating the results.
We are a school with high academic standards and a low teacher-to-student ratio to provide individualized learning.
Our family-oriented school places a high priority on meeting the needs of the whole child including their academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. Enrollment to our school is available to students of varied cultural, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds as we seek to train children in Christ-like behavior.
