We are gearing up for the 2023-2024 Academic year &
SAA is so excited to introduce our new Learning Management System (LMS)
that also includes registration and enrollment!
Register at St Athanasius Academy
KEIM TIME LEARNING registration is open!
Sh. Shell Keim is offering a complete, pre-recorded option for all kindergarten through 3rd-grade students. The curriculum is included for each grade! This video series has been made to help homeschool parents begin the journey of educating their children at home. Each week you will receive a short parent video that will give you an overview of what we will be talking about that week. The curriculum is made to be inclusive and covers all the areas that a child would cover in a year of school. Each video is approximately 30 minutes long and the expectation is that the parent follows through and explore the ideas covered in that week’s videos. There are four videos each week and the hope is that the family will share in an outing or experience on the fifth day that will support the love of learning.
The package includes four videos a week for 36 weeks. Each video is about 30 minutes long. Weekly PDF worksheet packets are included as part of the curriculum.
Year 1 of KTL takes a child from a non-reader to a reader. We will explore stories and activities that support the themes of the stories. The year will move slowly but is purposeful and attempts to make sure that a student has an excellent phonics foundation. This year incorporates numbers awareness, phonics, writing, classic stories, nursery rhymes, and discovery of our world. The format is conversational and encourages thinking and getting outside and discovering the world God has made. Each week holds a small lesson in how we experience the church through the eyes of a small child. The church and her teachings are integrated into the lessons. By the end of this year the student should be a good reader and be ready to tackle the learning and exploration of Year 2.
Read Aloud list:
Charlotte’s Web
My Father’s Dragon Trilogy
The Riverbank Tales by Stephen Lawhead:
The Tale of Jeremy Vole
The Tale of Timothy Mallard
The Tale of Anabelle Hedgehog
Mercy Watson
Please note: Book lists are not required to be purchased, unless you want to fill your home library. Sh. Shell reads them at the end of each daily lesson.
Year 2 begins with a review of phonics and number awareness. We will learn decoding strategies that will help the student become a better reader. The year includes writing sentences, beginning grammar, classic stories, fairy tales, exploring the world of wonder, and mathematical foundations. This year will follow the Bible from Creation to the founding of the Church through a timeline format that allows for a child to see the “big picture” of God’s plan for our salvation. Students will be able to think, speak, and write proper sentences.
Read Aloud list:
Trumpet of the Swan
Wizard of Oz
Mouse and the Motorcycle
Pippi Longstocking
Wind in the Willows
The Borrowers
Please note: Book lists are not required to be purchased, unless you want to fill your home library. Sh. Shell reads them at the end of each daily lesson.
Year 3 assumes that the student has a good phonics foundation and can write print letters well. This year will introduce cursive writing. Reading comprehension, writing paragraphs and grammar will be taught along with classic stories and fables. We will discover God’s creatures and how they live. Mathematical concepts will be taught and exercises will be given. We will examine where we live and how it works, taking a look at our government and our world. The feast days of the Orthodox church will be explored and enjoyed.
Read Aloud list:
Little House on the Prairie
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
101 Dalmatians
Boxcar Children
Harriet the Spy
Please note: Book lists are not required to be purchased, unless you want to fill your home library. Sh. Shell reads them at the end of each daily lesson.
Year 4 will encourage reading of good books and producing short, concise summaries. We will continue our use of cursive writing. The student will explore mathematical concepts, grammar rules, the human body in God’s image, and a history overview as presented in the book A Child’s History of the World by Dr. Hillyer. At the end of this year of the series a child is expected to be a good reader, a good writer, a good speaker, and a good thinker.
Read Aloud list:
Black Ships Before Troy
Wanderings of Odysseus
Sarah Plain and Tall
Little Pilgrim’s Progress
Theras and His Town
Heidi
Please note: Book lists are not required to be purchased, unless you want to fill your home library. Sh. Shell reads them at the end of each daily lesson.
"Thank you so much for everything you have done to make KeimTime Learning - Year 1 possible! We have really enjoyed it.
KeimTime Learning is the perfect union between elementary education and Orthodoxy. My 5-year-old son absolutely adores it. (In fact, all six of my children ages 1 - 8 enjoy it). My son finds it engaging, not arduous. Ms. Shell keeps things moving and entertaining. The conversational tone is approachable and friendly. I often hear the children shouting out their responses to Ms. Shell's questions. My son loves hearing the stories, and Ms. Shell is able to teach fundamental concepts in a friendly manner. I'm always amazed at how much he absorbs and learns from each lesson.
As a parent, I love how Shell incorporates Orthodoxy so seamlessly in the lessons. My son learns his ABC's, grammar, and writing skills while learning about the Theotokos, the Church's feasts, and her many saints. (I've even learned a few tidbits about the lives of the saints!) I'm grateful for the flexibility that KeimTime Learning allows. I'm sure I'm not the only homeschool parent that adjusts schedules based on the weather or some random opportunity that arises. With KeimTime Learning, I can do just that! We usually watch our videos in the mornings. When the weather is too warm in the afternoons, though, we play outside in the morning and watch in the afternoon! I also love having access to the handouts. I can print multiple copies for some of the handouts my son really enjoys or for the areas in which he may need a little extra practice. My favorite part, however, is the parent video that begins each week. It's a few minutes long but really sets the expectations for the week ahead. I see it as a little pep talk for the week. And, who doesn't need one of those?
Overall, I couldn't be happier with KeimTime Learning. I haven't been able to find anything quite like this for elementary school-aged children. It has been a real blessing to our family. I highly recommend it. Your children will love Ms. Shell just as much as mine do!"