Programs

K1—Pathways for Preschools

Pathways for Preschools is an all-new, well-balanced program for children aged two and three years old. Preschoolers will have lots of fun as they meet daily with featured animal characters at the Big Red Barn. Activities and concepts are research-based and developmentally appropriate. Interactive circle times and themed cen­ters help children learn, grow, and have fun!

K1—Footsteps for Fours

Footsteps for Fours presents interactive, hands-on learning — with an emphasis on having fun together as a class. Each day, preschoolers meet with featured characters like the Martin family and their animal friends under the Teaching Tree. Daily math, phonics, and prereading lessons are interspersed with age-appropriate music, science, language arts, social studies, and handwriting segments.

K2—Beginnings

K2 Beginnings provides a strong foundation for first grade phonics and reading. A balance of variety and repetition helps kindergarten students learn new concepts while reviewing earlier ones. Lessons include age-appropriate instruction in phonics and reading, science, Heritage Studies, literature, and early creative writing. Children participate in songs, stories, and a variety of discovery learning activities.

On the elementary level, our language arts program includes reading, English, spelling, and handwriting. On the secondary level, language arts is divided into three major sections: writing & grammar, literature, and vocabulary.

Love of Reading

Parents and teachers long for their students to love reading. The BJU Press Reading program fosters each student’s desire to read with colorful illustra­tions, interesting activities, and exciting reading selections from a broad range of genres. Students not only practice silent-reading skills but also participate in oral reading during interactive discussion times.

Foundational Phonics

The BJU Press Reading system emphasizes word families, letter-sound associa­tions, and syllable patterns. Since each student develops at a different rate, we include phonemic awareness and reading-readiness activities through grade 2.

Comprehension and Analysis

To ensure comprehension, BJU Press Reading includes discussion questions and activities on four different levels—literal, interpretive, critical, and ap­preciative. Students learn to analyze and interpret each story from a Biblical perspective.

Christ-like Communication

Language is the primary way God reveals Himself to us, and it is the method He has given us for communicating with others. BJU Press English teaches students that they can honor God by learning how to correctly use His gift of language, including good grammar and accurate written expression.

Relevant Application

Writing & Grammar teaches one part of speech at a time with systematic concept review and a variety of practice opportunities. Chapter themes keep learning applicable and link topics with other subjects. A few of the featured themes include agriculture, sports, science, museums, travel, and architecture.

Writing Development

The development of writing skills is a major emphasis in BJU Press English. Nearly half the elementary English instructional materials are dedicated to developing the students’ writing skills. We guide the students step-by-step through the writing process, allowing opportunities for writing reports, sto­ries, journals, descriptions, ads, websites, poems, letters, and essays.

Achievable Expectations

Spelling should not be about drudgery, mindless memorization, and tests. BJU Press Spelling uses spelling words that are relevant to the students, focus­ing on reliable spelling and structural patterns. Colorful themes, interesting activities, and practice tests help students internalize the short list of words being taught each week.

Comprehension Focus

If a child really knows a word, he should be able to spell it, understand it, and use it in context. BJU Press Spelling encourages all three of these skills with weekly activities, dictation sentences, and dictionary practice.

Student Expression

A student who makes 100% on spelling tests and yet cannot write his own thoughts does not understand how to spell. Weekly journal prompts and other exercises help the student make the connection between correct spell­ing on a test and correct spelling in his everyday life.

Christ-like Communication

Few skills are more essential today than effective communication. Since words are the tools we use to speak to God and to others, we must learn to use those tools wisely and correctly. BJU Press Writing & Grammar uses Biblical accounts and principles to help students develop into Christ-like communicators.

Relevant Application

Writing & Grammar teaches students how the grammar they learned in the elementary grades continues to be relevant to their present and future lives. The concepts they are taught and the writing assignments they complete are all vital to their success in college and in their future careers.

Writing Development

The development of writing skills is a major emphasis in BJU Press Writing & Grammar. Throughout the program, we provide samples of excellent writing, grading rubrics for each assignment, and step-by-step guidance through the writing process. Students are also given ample grade-appropriate practice with Internet research and other print resources, such as dictionaries, periodi­cals, and concordances.

Ideas and Themes

Literature is more than facts about authors, eras, and literary terms. BJU Press Literature is a study of important works, ideas, and themes that can ultimately help young people understand their fellow man and live godly lives in a fallen world.

Age-Appropriate Approach

BJU Press Literature begins in grades seven and eight with a thematic ap­proach, helping students transition from reading for pleasure to reading for discernment. Grades nine and ten introduce a critical approach, drawing on literature for various cultures and genres. Grades eleven and twelve use a his­torical approach, focusing on a Biblical analysis of the historical and cultural context of each author and his work.

Analyses and Activities

To help students learn to evaluate what they read, each selection is followed by discussion questions, analyses, and activities. These questions engage four levels of thinking skills—literal, interpretive, critical, and appreciative.

Word Context

Context supplies clues about word meanings. BJU Press Vocabulary includes exercises in which students must use new words in context, cementing the meaning, spelling, and correct use of the word into their minds.

Grade-Appropriate Learning

Our vocabulary word lists are grade-appropriate, selected from several graded lists prepared by specialists. They come from the Bible, history, geographic locations, literature, and myths as well as from Latin, Greek, French, Native English, and other languages. Students review word families and spelling principles while learning some of the ways we acquire words, such as allu­sions, coining, and borrowing from other languages.

Achievable Goals

Each vocabulary lesson takes ten to thirty minutes a week, allowing students to broaden their vocabulary gradually as part of their English or Language Arts class.

Narrative Presentation

Everyone enjoys a good story. Rather than simply teaching names and dates, the BJU Press Heritage Studies program uses a narrative approach, including fascinating details about historical people, places, and events. Students de­velop comprehension skills with higher-level discussion questions, timelines, maps, web research, and other activities. Supplementary materials, such as historical fiction, biographies, and other books about the world and its won­ders, allow teachers to enrich the program with additional reading.

God’s Purpose

For students to understand the conflicts and conquests of the past, they must have a Biblical perspective. In the Heritage Studies program, events are pre­sented with clarity and accuracy, allowing the students to see God’s overarch­ing purpose and His hand at work.

Structured Scope

In order to cover the vast amount of historical information that students need to know, BJU Press Heritage Studies uses an age-appropriate structure that builds on the previous grade for maximum comprehension and retention.

Emphasis on Truth

Much of modern scientific thought is influenced by an anti-God bias. We teach students to carefully analyze the theories they will encounter and to reject error in favor of pure truth and scientific fact. Every science textbook points out the infinite wisdom and designing hand of God in His creation and its laws.

Interactive Learning

BJU Press Science encourages hands-on learning with science labs and ac­tivities. Stories of great scientists and their discoveries help students see the practical ways science can be applied. Students are encouraged to think about modern scientific issues, such as cancer, pollution, and energy and to practice creative problem-solving skills.

Teacher Support

Since science is a challenging subject, we have provided extra sup­port for the teacher. Extensive marginal notes with background information, complete solutions for problems, concise lesson plans, and CDs containing supplemental materials help teachers plan enriching lessons.

Engaging Presentation

Since so many students dread math class, we have designed a program that engages student interest using age-appropriate themes and clear explana­tions. On the elementary level, new concepts are introduced with student manipulatives to promote interactive learning.

Comprehension and Review

The key to success in math is comprehension. A student who tries to survive on memorization alone will struggle as higher-level skills are introduced. BJU Press Math ensures comprehension of basic concepts and builds on that foun­dation with frequent review and thoughtful introduction of new topics.

Relevant Application

As students learn about all the ways math can apply to real life, they will be more excited about learning new skills. Our textbooks show how math formu­las and facts can be used to make life easier. The exercises and problems dem­onstrate math use in a variety of situations—distance, measurement, finances, size, volume, and more.

Scripture Focus

To have a Biblical worldview, students must know the Bible. The BJU Press Bible program teaches students the infallibility, beauty, and authority of Scripture through age-appropriate activities. Students are given a solid foun­dation of Bible stories, doctrines, and principles as well as a selection of verses to memorize. They learn how to study the Bible on their own, using maps, timelines, and other Bible study tools.

Life Applications

Each lesson is filled with questions that deepen the students’ understanding and help them relate God’s truth to their daily lives. Listening and reading selec­tions give them examples of how to live out Biblical principles.

Challenging Lessons

In addition to studying Scripture, students read hymns, missionary biogra­phies, and Christian novels that enhance the Bible program. They learn the connections between Bible events and historical events and also explore the lives of historical leaders in Christianity. Exercises and activities develop their critical thinking skills.
The Bible Modular Series for the secondary level provides concise books that deal with a topic of special interest to teens. These lessons can stand alone as six- to eight-week courses or adapt to supplement a full Bible program.