Mater Amabilis™

  • Home
  • Overview
  • Subjects
    • Religion
      • L1B New Testament
      • Level 1B Catechism
      • L1A- A Life of Our Lord for Children
      • L2-Y1- First Christians Reading Schedule
      • L2-Y2-St. Patrick’s Summer
      • Level 3 & 4 Gospel
      • Level 3 Old Testament
    • Language Arts
    • History
      • National History Outline for Australian Students
      • L1B|L1A-This Country of Ours
      • L1|L2-Introduction to American History
        • L1|L2-Further Reading–American History
      • L1|L2-Introduction to British History
        • British History Lesson Plans
        • L2|Y1-Further Reading–British History
        • L2-Our (An) Island Story
        • L2-Introduction to British History for American Students
        • L1|L2-2year-Introduction to British History for British Students
        • L1|L2-3year-Introduction to British History
        • L2-Introduction to British History for British Students – 3 Year Option
        • L1A|L2|L3-Our Lady’s Dowry
      • L1A -Bible History
      • L1A-Ancient Egypt
      • L2-Ancient Greece
      • L2-Ancient Rome
      • Level 3 World History
        • L3-Y1|Y2 – World History Reading List
      • L3-American History
        • L3-From Sea to Shining Sea Reading List
      • L4-20th Century World History (old)
    • Geography & Earth Studies
      • Introduction to Geography and Earth Studies
      • L1B-Map Location Key
      • L1B-Rivers and Oceans
      • L1A-Weather
      • L1A–Y1– Maps & Mapping
      • L1A-Y1-Earth Studies – Weather
        • British Weather Lore
      • L1A-Y2-Mountains and Volcanoes
      • L3-4 Geography: History of Exploration
      • L4 – Geography of Europe
      • L3|L4-Geology
    • How to Study Shakespeare
      • Shakespeare Plan
      • An Introduction to Shakespeare
      • Comedy of Errors
      • Hamlet
      • Henry V
      • Notes on Julius Caesar
        • Julius Caesar
      • Macbeth
      • Much Ado About Nothing
      • Notes on The Merchant of Venice
        • The Merchant of Venice
      • Notes on The Taming of the Shrew
      • The Tempest
      • Notes on Twelfth Night
    • Science
      • Notes on Nature Study
      • L1B-Nature Study
      • L1A–Y1-Science
        • L1A-Y1-ARCHIVED-Science
      • L1A–Y2-Science
        • L1A–Y2-ARCHIVED- Science
      • L2-Y1-Science In Ancient Greece
      • L2-Y2-Human Body and History of Medicine
      • L3|L4-Science
        • L3-Science Through Time (Secrets of the Universe)
        • L3-ARCHIVED-Science
    • Poetry Plan
      • How to Read a Poem
    • Tales
      • L1A Tales
      • L2 Mythology
      • L3&4 Tales
    • Picture Study
      • Picture Study Resources – All Levels
    • Music Appreciation – All Levels
    • Civics
      • Plutarch
  • Prep Level
  • Level 1B
  • Level 1A
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Level 4
  • High School – Level 5 & 6
    • High School Religion
    • High School English
    • High School History
    • High School Geography
    • High School Science
    • High School Mathematics
    • High School Government, Economics, and Civics
    • On Track to Graduation
    • A Sample Daily Schedule

Overview of the Curriculum

A general outline of what is to be expected.

Preparatory Level (Ages 4 to 6)

Pre-K/Kindergarten in the US and Year 1 in the UK.

  • New Testament Bible stories, Liturgical Year, Introduction to the Catholic Faith
  • Introduction to letters and numbers.
  • Story time
  • Geography through study of children around the world
  • Learning about God’s world
  • Outdoor time
  • Creative play
Level 1B (Ages 6 to 7)

One year course. Grade 1 in the US and Year 2 in the UK.

  • Focus on acquisition of basic skills of reading, writing, number and oral narration.
  • Begin serious study of religion, including New Testament, Catechism, and stories of saints
  • Study History of child’s own nation
  • Formal study of geography and earth studies begins with study of Rivers and Oceans
  • Tales, fables and classic children’s literature
  • Introductions to picture study and classical music
  • Optional foreign language
  • Nature Study: mammals, tide pool, and ocean life
  • All books read aloud to the child unless he is reading proficiently.
Level 1A (Ages 7 to 9)

Two year course. Grades 2 and 3 in the US and Year 3 and 4 in the UK.

  • Continuing focus on the development of basic skills.
  • Religion studies including New Testament, Catechism, and stories of saints
  • Begin the transition to reading independently and writing some narrations.
  • English Language lessons
  • Continue the studies begun in Level 1B
  • Continue learning the history of the child’s own nation.
  • Begin learning a foreign language.
  • Begin systematic study of ancient history: Ancient Israel and Ancient Egypt
  • Greek mythology, tales and classic children’s literature
  • Geographical focus on Europe and Asia
  • Studies of maps, weather and environments
  • Science of the Natural world: plants, insects, birds in year 1
  • Formal science study in year 2 begins with matter, astronomy, microscopic world
  • Artist and composer studies
Level 2 (Ages 9 to 11)

Two year course. Grades 4 and 5 in the US and Years 5 and 6 in the UK.

  • Lesson books to be read independently.
  • Regular written narrations.
  • Religion includes Acts of the Apostles, the Bible through the mysteries of the Rosary, Catechism, and a focus on saints and Our Lady
  • English Language lessons
  • Study history of another country (Britain or America)
  • Continue study of ancient history: Ancient Greece and Rome
  • Greek and Roman mythology
  • Shakespeare
  • Classic children’s literature
  • Geographical focus: the Americas and Africa
  • Science studies correlate with ancient history and include nature, solar system, simple machines, physics, and human biology
  • Latin begun in second year
  • Artist and composer studies
Level 3 (Ages 11 to 13)

Two year course. Grades 6 and 7 in the US and Years 7 and 8 in the UK.

  • More advanced material than Level 2
  • Bible history
  • Bible study related to Church Year Cycle
  • Lives of the Saints
  • Apologetics
  • Further study of history of own nation
  • Survey of world history
  • Classic literature and Shakespeare
  • Tales/Mythology: Norse, Arthurian, Indian, Chinese
  • History of Exploration
  • World Geography (through travel)
  • Botany, Intro to Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science
  • Introduction to Geology
  • Continue modern foreign language and Latin
  • Artist and composer studies
Level 4 (Ages 13 to 14)

One year course. Grade 8 in the US and Year 9 in the UK.

  • Transitional year into higher level studies
  • Bible study related to Church Year Gospel
  • 20th century saints and prominent Catholics
  • Catechism focus
  • Shakespeare study continues
  • Tales from the Native American and African-American traditions
  • Classic 20th century literature and poetry
  • 20th century focus in history
  • Current events
  • 20th century Exploration 
  • Weather, electricity, magnetism and inventions
  • Continue study of Geology from Level 3
  • Natural History and stories of naturalists
  • Continue modern foreign language and Latin
  • Composers and music of the 20th century 
  • Artists of the 20th century
Level 5 (Ages 14 to 16)

Level 5 Year 1:

  • Ancient History to the End of the Roman Empire
  • British History to the Tudors
  • Church History to the End of the Roman Empire
  • Bible Study
  • Writings of Saints and Doctors of the Church
  • Study of the Creed
  • Papal Encyclicals
  • Classical Epics, British Literature to 1500 
  • Shakespeare
  • Composition
  • Geography of Asia

Level 5 Year 2:

  • Medieval History
  • British and American History to 1815
  • Church History to the End of the Middle Ages
  • Bible Study
  • (Writings of) Saints and Doctors of the Church
  • Study of the Mass
  • Papal Encyclicals
  • Dante, British poetry to 1900
  • Shakespeare
  • Composition
  • Geography of Africa
Level 6 (Ages 16 to 18)

Two year course. Grade 11 – 12 in the US and Year 12+ in the UK

Level 6 Year 1:

  • Modern World 
  • American History to 1815-Present
  • Church History to the End of the Sixth Age
  • Novels, English Poetry, American Literature 
  • Modern novels
  • Shakespeare
  • Composition
  • Bible Study
  • Saints and Doctors of the Church: 16th-18th centuries
  • Spiritual reading
  • Papal Encyclicals
  • Geography of the Americas

Level 6 Year 2:

  • Bible Study
  • Saints and Doctors of the Church: 19th-20th centuries
  • Spiritual reading
  • Papal Encyclicals
  • Independent Research in History
  • Novels, Literary Genre Study
  • Honors option: a year-long Senior Thesis
  • Geography of Europe
  • Further Science Studies

 

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Overview of the Curriculum

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Getting Started Guide

Click here to download and print our helpful guide to getting started with Mater Amabilis ™ curriculum.

Helpful Resource Pages

Religion

Language Arts

History

Science Overview

How To Study Shakespeare

Nature Study

Geography & Earth Studies

Picture Study

Music Appreciation

Plutarch

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Mater Amabilis

“. . . our Blessed Virgin Mary is called Amabilis, or lovable, as being such to the children of the Church.” -Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman

Copywork Made Clear

Here is a new video on the value and process of copywork.

A Tour of the MA website

Here is a brief tour through the website, including how to find the introduction, overview, subject helps, and level landing pages. We have also included a tour of level 1A as an example of the resources available for most levels, and a quick look at the high school levels.

The Joy of Copywork

by Sally Thomas I’ve always loved copywork. In grade school, the nicest days – aside from the days when the art teacher read us Amelia Bedelia – were the days when the teacher handed us a poem, purple, damp, and vaguely vanilla-scented, fresh from the ditto machine. Generally it was a poem of the season, … Read More about The Joy of Copywork

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