Valor Ridge / Academy
Bennett · 4th Grade · 2026–2027 · CC Cycle 3 · ESV

The Year

Bible opens the day. Before math. Before anything.

Bible First

  • National Bible Bee Summer Study — Primary division, summer 2026Book of James · “Thrive” · June 8 – Aug 14 · Discovery Journal inductive study, ESV
  • Foundations of the Bible, Vol. 3: Gospels to Revelation — Driven by Grace24 weeks · matches CC Cycle 3 · open-and-go
  • The daily question — 30 seconds after the lesson“So what does this tell us about God?” / “Why does that matter for what we believe?”
  • Scripture memory — ~10 min, father and son, ESVPsalm 144:1 → Psalm 1 → Psalm 23 → Psalm 91 → Isaiah 6:8
  • New City Catechism — one question weeklyNever stop at recitation. Ask “why do we believe that?” and walk him to the Scripture.
The Standing Rule Questions are welcome. Pushback is encouraged. A boy allowed to ask the hard question at nine, with his father, becomes a man who does not get knocked over at nineteen when someone else asks it for him.

Math

  • CTC Math — daily spine, 20–25 min, independent
  • CC Essentials math drills — fact fluency
  • Conditional: Singapore/Dimensions or Challenging Word Problems — only if the word-problem gap proves real. Place by test, not grade.

English

  • Logic of English Foundations D → Essentials next yearLocked. No switching.
  • CC Essentials — IEW writing + EEL grammarCommunity day
  • Independent reading — 20 min/day, his choiceNo questions, no report, no log. Keep it outside the school block.

History Lane open

  • Timeline cards — read weekly · ownedCurrent week + sweep back. Builds by accumulation.
  • CC Foundations — timeline memory work
  • Presidents Field Guide — Valor Ridge AcademyReference shelf. Standard + Expanded editions, incl. Articles of Confederation presidents.
Narrative spine — pick one:
Notgrass Our Star-Spangled Story — structured, open-and-go
Beautiful Feet Early American 4–6 — Charlotte Mason, narration
A Child’s First Book of American History — living book, 1 ch/wk

Geography

  • The Little Man in the Map (Martonyi)State shapes and locations. Mnemonic — pairs with CC memory work.
  • Our 50 States: A Family Adventure (Cheney)Browse one state at a time. Not a cover-to-cover read-aloud.
  • CC Foundations — geography memory work
  • States & Capitals Field Guide — Valor Ridge AcademyReference shelf. Pairs with Little Man in the Map.

Science

  • CC Cycle 3 memory work — the spineAnatomy 1–12 · Chemistry 13–18 · Probability & patterns 19–24
  • Sing / See / Read / Do — weekly rhythm at home
  • Prep the CC experiment from the Foundations Guide before community dayOn CC Connected, search the week + “experiment,” not “science.”
  • Hypothesis workflow — Bennett predicts at home on the Scientist’s Sheet, CC reinforces live, he closes the loop
  • Uncover the Human Body (Colombo) — wks 1–12Layered 3-D model + home experiments
  • The pool — chemistry lab, wks 13–18pH and chlorine. Predict before he dips.
  • The ducks — probability lab, wks 19–24Egg counts by day. Mean, median, mode, prediction.
  • School Year Pack 3 — free sampler onlyBuy the full pack only if it beats what’s already here.
  • Video — Homeschool Helper · Driven by Grace

Fine Arts

  • Piano — weekly lessonDaily practice is the real subject. Short and every day beats long and occasional.
  • CC Foundations fine arts strandSix-week rotation — drawing, artists, music, composers. Covered by enrollment.
  • Confirm the Cycle 3 rotation. Check if your timeline cards include artist cards.

Physical

  • Train with DadShou Shu · jiu-jitsu · home gym
  • Nothing to buy. “Dad trains, so I train” is formation, not exercise.

Language

  • Flip Flop Spanish — light, no screenPerson-to-person, out loud, together. Same shape as memory work.
  • Use it locallySpanish radio in the truck. Order in Spanish. The Valley is the lab.
  • Latin — deferredCC seeds it. No urgency at nine.

Etiquette

  • Connoisseur Kids (Scott) — second passOwned. Review and apply rather than re-teach.
  • Practice in the fieldGreetings, eye contact, handshake, the table. Correct in the moment, not after.

Buy List

  • Foundations of the Bible Vol. 3 (+ Sentence Stickers?)
  • LOE Foundations D — Teacher’s Guide + Student Workbook
  • CC Essentials Guide + IEW materials (confirm w/ director)
  • The Little Man in the Map · Our 50 States (Cheney)
  • Uncover the Human Body
  • Flip Flop Spanish — See It and Say It (SiSi) Level 1 (not Spanish Geniuses — that’s high school)
  • History spine — pending lane decision
  • Timeline cards — owned

In the Binder

  • Bible Plan · Science Rhythm Sheet
  • Scientist’s Hypothesis Sheet · Cycle 3 Booklist

Open Items

  1. Pick the history lane — A, B, or C
  2. Confirm IEW/Essentials package with CC director
  3. Confirm CC fine arts rotation
  4. Check LOE Foundations D covers cursive
  5. Watch word problems one week → decides Singapore

Admin — California

  • Private School AffidavitStatutory window Oct 1–15. System opens Aug 1.
  • Records to keep on fileAttendance log · course of study (this sheet) · instructor qualifications · immunization or exemption