Deep Waters Academy

DWA Curriculum Criteria

    Deep Waters Academy offers all core subjects including math, english/language arts (reading, spelling, literature, writing & grammar), science, and history. DWA also offers art and music class.   

    We believe selecting a curriculum that best aligns with the mission and vision of Deep Waters Academy is critical. To help us narrow the field of viable options, we evaluate curriculum for each subject matter and grade level against a formal set of criteria. Each chosen curriculum must:

Support a biblical worldview or be designed so that Christian elements can be integrated throughout

Be age appropriate in content for the children

Be comprehensive, engaging and creative

Support our standards of high academic excellence 

Support experiential, or hands-on, learning. The instruction must come alive and be more than just written words on a page to foster a love for learning.

Support the University-Model relationship between parents, teachers and school. We desire a family centered approach to curriculum. Given the model of our school, this is a significant consideration especially for the early grade levels where parents truly function as co-instructors.

Promote a classical approach to learning what is good, true, and beautiful. We seek a curriculum that emphasizes the “Great Books” of the past and present. Studying across the disciplines is designed to overlap and intertwine, bringing greater depth and better retention to learning.

Logic of English (LOE)

LOE combines the science of reading with the joy of learning. The curriculum is a phonics based reading and spelling program that implements lessons with hands on and engaging activities.

Saxon Math

This curriculum is time tested and highly praised by University-Model schools and homeschooling families. Saxon develops automaticity in students through fact fluency and repetition with a spiral approach. 

Institute of Excellence in Writing (IEW)

IEW follows a systematic process for teaching children to write. Through the process of learning to write well, students learn how to think clearly and to express themselves eloquently and persuasively.

Elemental Science

Elemental Science provides rich scientific content with hands-on, weekly experiments. Students learn the Scientific Method as they engage in teacher-directed and hands-on lessons. Students learn to document discoveries through keeping a scientific notebook. 

BiblioPlan History

BiblioPlan teaches world history alongside Bible and Church history. Students engage in HIS-story, starting at creation and traveling throughout time with interactive and hands-on activities to deepen their understanding of the people, places and cultures they meet along the way. 

Classical Literature 

Students are immersed in good, quality literature from the very first day of school. Students are guided by teacher-led discussions to ponder what is good, true and beautiful in each of these wonderful stories such as Little Women, The Secret Garden, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Charlotte's Web, Paddington bear and more.