Grades 1 through 6 continue to build upon the preschool foundation which is so important to future academic success. The elementary grades provide a structured learning environment for your child to continue the process of intellectual and spiritual growth and preparation for continued success. The smaller class size facilitates learning and social interaction through more individualized interaction with each student. AVCS values each child as a unique individual loved by God and capable of learning and achievement. It is a priority for each member of the faculty and staff to exhibit the love of Christ to each child in every aspect of interaction with them.

FIRST GRADE

• Phonics based approach to reading and spelling
• Special spelling rules
• Oral reading
• Introductory cursive penmanship, writing short stories, and punctuation
• History lessons in American heritage and geography
• Science instruction about plants, animals, human anatomy, and energy
• Safety and manners
• Number recognition 1 to 350
• Addition, subtraction, and multiplication
• Money values, time telling, simple measures, and simple fractions

SECOND GRADE

• Phonics based approach to reading and spelling
• Special spelling rules
• Oral reading
• Cursive penmanship, creative writing, capitalization, and punctuation
• American history and geography
• Science instruction about plants, animals, human biology, energy, matter, and conservation
• Safety, health, and manners
• Number recognition through 500
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and simple division
• Money values, graphs, roman numerals, simple measures, and simple fractions

THIRD GRADE

• Continued advancement of phonics based reading skills
• Honing of penmanship and creative writing skills
• Capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary
• American historical figures and their contributions; U.S. geography
• World geography including continents and oceans
• Science instruction about plants, animals, human biology, energy, matter, and conservation
• Safety, health, and manners
• Number recognition through 500
• Continue building skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• Practical application of math principles in simple "word problems"
• Other math subjects include averaging, inequalities, graphs, fractions, and geometric shapes

FOURTH GRADE

• Focus on reading comprehension
• Penmanship
• Student understanding of the writing process is developed and practiced
• Arithmetic creates a mastery of fundamental operations, introduces estimation and decimals, and reviews basic geometry and weights and measures
• California and world history as well as geography
• Science covers a survey of subjects ranging from plant & animal biology, matter, energy, and geology
• Personal fitness and hygiene are covered in health.

FIFTH GRADE

• The reading program includes character building stories, speed reading, and book reports
• Creative writing and library research also play a major role in the fifth grade curriculum
• History and geography present a study of ancient civilization up to the present in the Eastern Hemisphere
• Science covers subject material about mammals, vertebrates, force and motion, engines, electricity, and matter
• Math covers fundamental operations using decimals, graphs, and equation solving

SIXTH GRADE

• Reading and language skills continue as an emphasis including: creative writing, penmanship, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction, reading comprehension, speed reading, and library research skills
• History covers the geography and civilization of the Western Hemisphere, including North, South, and Central America
• Science class focuses on the physical sciences of matter, earth, plants, and animals
• Mathematics introduces ratios, proportions, percents, prime factoring, and modem mathematical applications. Accuracy is a major thrust of the mathematical review work.