SYLLABUS FOR PRE- KINDERGARTEN (3 TO 5 YEARS) - CREATION There are no written examinations at this level 1 The Lord s Prayer Textbook Chapter 1 2 Gestures of the Liturgy New Material - See Teacher s Guide 3 God made the World Textbook Chapter 2 4 Icon of Creation New Material See Teacher s Guide 5 Adam & Eve Textbook Chapter 3 6 David the Shepherd Textbook Chapter 6 7 Birth of Jesus Textbook Chapter 8 8 Christ Pantocrator New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 Moses Textbook Chapter 5 10 Jesus saves us New Material See Teacher s Guide 11 Jonah & the Whale Textbook Chapter 7 12 Holy Week New Material See Teacher s Guide 13 Easter New Material See Teacher s Guide 14 Noah s Ark Textbook Chapter 4 15 Church New Material See Teacher s Guide 16 Life of Jesus Textbook Chapter 9
SYLLABUS FOR KINDERGARTEN (5 YEARS & ABOVE) - JESUS LOVES ME There are no written examinations at this level 1 God made the World Textbook Chapter 1 2 Gestures of the Liturgy New Material See Teacher s Guide 3 Adam & Eve Textbook Chapters 2 & 3 4 Noah s Ark Textbook Chapter 4 5 David Textbook Chapter 9 6 Moses and the Burning Bush Textbook Chapters 5 & 6 7 Baby Jesus Textbook Chapter 10 8 Icon of the Nativity of our Lord New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 Baptism of our Lord Textbook Chapter 11 10 OT - Crossing the Sea Textbook Chapter 7 11 Holy Baptism New Material See Teacher s Guide 12 Palm Sunday & Holy Thursday New Material See Teacher s Guide 13 Good Friday & Holy Saturday New Material See Teacher s Guide 14 Easter New Material See Teacher s Guide 15 OT - The 10 Commandments Textbook Chapter 8 16 Greatest Commandment New Material See Teacher s Guide important aspects of Liturgy. These are still part of the Sunday School curriculum, but will be provided as a supplementary document. The document will still include progressive learning for our children through the different grade levels, but put increased focus on explaining and teaching the meaning of all the words, prayers, and hymns. This is important so that our students grow in knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the prayers and hymns while simultaneously achieving the goal of appreciation and familiarity.
SYLLABUS FOR 1 ST GRADE - O WONDERFUL WORLD NOTE: Students at this level may not write well, so examinations should be oral to assess if the children have understood the concepts 1 Maker of Heaven and Earth Textbook Chapter 1 2 Adam and Eve disobey Textbook Chapters 2 & 3 3 God loves us Textbook Unit 2 (Chapters 4 to 9) 4 St. Mary, Mother of God Textbook Chapters 13 & 14 5 Hail Mary Prayer New Material See Teacher s Guide 6 St. John the Baptist Textbook Chapter 15 7 Christ is born! Textbook Chapters 16 & 17 8 Icon of the Nativity of our Lord New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 Baptism of our Lord Textbook Chapter 20 10 Baptism: we join the family of God Textbook Chapter 32 11 Life of Jesus Textbook Chapters 18, 19, 21, 22 & 23 12 Palm Sunday Textbook Chapter 24 13 Jesus dies and rises again Textbook Chapter 25 14 Ascension & Pentecost Textbook Chapter 26 15 We go to God s House Textbook Chapters 27 & 28 16 Holy Qurbana Textbook Chapters 29 to 31 Optional Lessons: Chapter 10
SYLLABUS FOR 2 ND GRADE - GOD CARES FOR US NOTE: Students at this level may not write well, so examinations could be oral to assess if the children have understood the concepts 1 The Good Shepherd Textbook Chapter 17 2 God Cares for His People Textbook Chapters 4-9 3 God is Love Textbook Chapter 18 4 God is Trinity Textbook Chapters 13 & 14 5 Our Savior Textbook Chapters 10 to 12 6 The Jesus Prayer New Material See Teacher s Guide 7 We worship God Textbook Chapters 15 & 16 8 Love in Church New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 The Good Samaritan Textbook Chapter 19 10 Love means Textbook Chapter 3 11 The Prophet Daniel Textbook Chapters 20 & 21 12 Nehemiah and Zacchaeus Textbook Chapters 22 & 23 13 Icon of the Resurrection New Material See Teacher s Guide 14 The Apostles Textbook Chapter 24 15 St. Thomas Textbook Chapter 26 16 St. Ignatius Textbook Chapter 25 Optional Lessons: Chapters 1 & 2
SYLLABUS FOR 3 RD GRADE - THE LIFE OF JESUS NOTE: Students at this level (3rd Grade) and above should be able to write, and therefore teachers should move away from oral exams and works to written assignments and answers 1 Transfiguration Textbook Chapter 1 2 Jesus lives with us Textbook Chapters 3, 4 & 6 3 We live with Jesus Textbook Chapters 21 to 27 4 Theosis: God in us New Material See Teacher s Guide 5 We worship Jesus Textbook Chapter 28 to 31 6 We share in Church New Material See Teacher s Guide 7 Jesus teaches us to share New Material See Teacher s Guide 8 God s Kingdom in Parables Unit 2 (Textbook Chapter 7 to 10) 9 Miracles of Healing Textbook Chapter 2, 3 & 5 10 Lazarus Saturday Textbook Chapter 11 11 Holy Week Textbook Chapters 12-16 12 Christ is Risen! Textbook Chapter 17 13 My Lord and My God! Textbook Chapter 18 14 Ascension Textbook Chapter 19 15 Holy Spirit Textbook Chapter 20 16 St Ephrem New Material See Teacher s Guide
SYLLABUS FOR 4 TH GRADE - GOD S STORY 1 God s Book the Holy Bible Textbook Chapters 1 to 3 2 Our Liturgical Calendar Textbook Chapter 29 3 We grow as we learn God s Word New Material See Teacher s Guide 4 God chooses His people Textbook Chapters 5 to 8 5 God delivers His people Textbook Chapter 9 to 13 6 God guides His people (Judges & Kings) Textbook Chapter 14 to 18 7 God guides His people (Prophets) Textbook Chapter 16, 17, 19 to 23 8 God saves His people Textbook Chapter 4 & 24 9 Christ, the Greatest Teacher Textbook Chapter 25 10 We grow as we worship God New Material See Teacher s Guide 11 We grow through prayer & fasting Textbook Chapter 30 12 Feast of Transfiguration Textbook Chapter 26 13 Death and Resurrection Textbook Chapter 27 & 28 14 Ascension and Pentecost Textbook Chapter 28 15 We grow as Orthodox Christians New Material See Teacher s Guide 16 Holy Qurbana Textbook Chapter 12
SYLLABUS FOR 5 TH GRADE - JESUS OUR SAVIOR 1 The Messiah Textbook Chapter 1 2 The Word Textbook Chapter 2 3 Who is Jesus? New Material See Teacher s Guide 4 Signs of the Kingdom Textbook Chapter 8 to 10 5 God calls us to His kingdom Textbook Chapter 7 6 Immanuel God with us Textbook Chapter 3 7 God became man Textbook Chapter 4 & 5 8 Oriental Orthodox Textbook Chapters 28 & 31 9 Lord, teach us Textbook Chapter 6, 11 & 12 10 Behold, your King Textbook Chapter 13 11 Lenten Journey - God calls us Textbook Chapters 17 to 19 12 The Second Coming of Christ Textbook Chapters 14, 15, 16 13 Early Church Textbook Chapters 20 to 22, 27 14 St. Stephen Textbook Chapter 24 15 Sts. Peter & Paul Textbook Chapters 23, 25 & 26 16 St. Thomas Textbook Chapters 29 & 30
SYLLABUS FOR 6 TH GRADE - GIVE ME LIFE, LORD 1 The Creed - The Symbol of our Faith Textbook Chapter 1 2 Holy Trinity Textbook Chapters 2 to 4 3 Theosis and the New Life Textbook Chapter 5 4 Holy Baptism Textbook Chapters 6 to 8 5 Holy Qurbana Textbook Chapters 9 to 12, & 17 6 Healing Textbook Chapters 13 to 15, 20 7 Confession and Forgiveness Lesson 14 & 15 8 Marriage Textbook Chapter 16 9 Born Again Textbook Chapters 18 & 19 10 The Light of the World Textbook Chapter 21 11 The Bread of Life Textbook Chapter 22 12 Lazarus Saturday Textbook Chapter 24 13 Holy Week Textbook Chapter 25 14 The Good Shepherd Textbook Chapter 16, 23 15 The New Commandment Textbook Chapter 26 16 Jesus, the King Textbook Chapter 27
SYLLABUS FOR 7 TH GRADE - I AM THINE, O LORD 1 Who do you say that I am? Textbook Chapter 28 2 Christ - Fully God Textbook Chapters 7 & 8 3 Christ - Fully Man Textbook Chapters 1 to 4 4 The Way, The Truth & The Life Textbook Chapters 5, 6, 9 & 10 5 Growth of the Church Textbook Chapters 13, 14 & 15 6 The Councils & the Person of Christ Textbook Chapters 16 & 17 7 St. Severus of Antioch & Chalcedon New Material See Teacher s Guide 8 St Athanasius - What was God to do? New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 Whose Life is it? Textbook Chapter 29 10 Theosis - the Purpose of our Life Textbook Chapters 30 & 31 11 The Principles of Orthodox Worship Textbook Chapter 23 12 Fasting, Prayer & Confession Textbook Chapters 18, 19 & 32 13 Sacramental Life Textbook Chapter 21 & 22 14 St. Paul Textbook Chapters 11 & 12 15 St. Geevarghese Mar Dionysius Textbook Chapter 20 16 Our Social Responsibility Textbook Chapters 33 to 35 Optional Lessons: Unit 6 (24 to 27)
SYLLABUS FOR 8 TH GRADE - TO SERVE THEE IS FREEDOM 1 Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest & King Textbook Chapters 1 to 5 2 Christology: The Person of Christ Textbook Chapters 10 & 11 3 The Orthodox Faith Textbook Chapter 12 4 Who is a Church Father? Textbook Chapter 13 5 Apostolic Fathers Textbook Chapter 14 6 St. Athanasius Textbook Chapter 15 7 Three Holy Hierarchs Textbook Chapter 16 8 Oriental Fathers Textbook Chapter 17 9 Other Holy Fathers Textbook Chapter 16, 18 & 20 10 The Lord s Command (Anamnesis) Textbook Chapter 6 11 The Holy Eucharist Textbook Chapters 7 to 9 12 On Fasting New Material See Teacher s Guide 13 Life of Worship & Prayer Textbook Chapter 23 14 Monasticism Textbook Chapters 21 & 22 15 A Royal Priesthood Textbook Chapter 23 & 24 16 Malankara Orthodox Church Fathers Textbook Chapter 19
SYLLABUS FOR 9 TH GRADE - TEACH US O LORD 1 Parable of the Prodigal Son Textbook Chapter 8 2 Freedom, Love & Discipline Textbook Chapter 18 3 Orthodox Understanding of Sin New Material See Teacher s Guide 4 St. Mary & Our Salvation New Material See Teacher s Guide 5 Salvation - Our Church Teaching New Material See Teacher s Guide 6 The Final Judgment Textbook Chapter 11 7 The Parable of the Sower Textbook Chapter 7 8 The Icon of the Nativity of our Lord New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 The Holy Bible Textbook Chapters 1 to 6 10 God s Revelation Textbook Chapters 4 to 6 11 Attaining the Kingdom of Heaven Textbook Chapter 9 12 The Church Textbook Chapters 12-14 13 Our Body God s Temple Textbook Chapter 16 14 Parable of the Talents Textbook Chapter 10 15 The Faithful Departed Textbook Chapter 15 16 Love Textbook Chapter 17
SYLLABUS FOR 10 TH GRADE - COME, FOLLOW ME 1 God loves us Textbook Chapters 1 & 2 2 Understanding Baptism Textbook Chapters 3 to 5 3 Infant Baptism - What our Church Teaches New Material See Teacher s Guide 4 The Eucharist Textbook Chapter 6 5 Confession - The Healing Sacrament Textbook Chapter 7 6 Stewardship Textbook Chapters 9, 11 to 13 7 Prayer Life Textbook Chapters 14 to 16 8 Theosis - Partaking of the Divine Nature Textbook Chapter 10 9 Orthodox Evangelism Textbook Chapters 11 to 13 10 Marriage as a Path to Holiness Textbook Chapters 17 & 18 11 Foundation of the Orthodox Faith New Material See Teacher s Guide 12 God s work and man s response Textbook Chapter 19 13 The Church Textbook Chapter 21 14 Repentance Textbook Chapter 26 15 Praise the Lord Textbook Chapter 27 16 O Lord, You know me Textbook Chapter 28 Optional Lessons: Chapters 20, 22 to 25
SYLLABUS FOR 11 TH GRADE - A WORLD TO BE TRANSFIGURED 1 Parable of the Good Samaritan New Material See Teacher s Guide 2 Orthodoxy Approach to Doctrine Textbook Chapters 6 3 Orthodoxy, Heterodoxy and Heresy New Material See Teacher s Guide 4 The Church New Material See Teacher s Guide 5 The Great Councils Textbook Chapter 17 6 Oriental Orthodox Textbook Chapter 4 7 East & West Textbook Chapters 5 8 The Great Schism Textbook Chapters 1 & 3 9 Protestantism & Evangelicalism Textbook Chapter 2, 10 & 11 10 Non- mainstream Christians Textbook Chapters 12 to 15 11 History of the Indian Orthodox Church 1 Textbook Chapter 7 12 History of the Indian Orthodox Church 2 Textbook Chapter 7 13 Orthodox Spirituality & Worship Textbook Chapters 8 & 9 14 St. Basil Textbook Chapter 16 15 God s creation and man s freedom Textbook Chapters 20 to 22 16 Sin, Suffering & Prayer Textbook Chapters 24 to 26 Optional Lessons: Chapters 18, 19, & 23 Recommended Book: Orthodoxy & Heterodoxy by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
SYLLABUS FOR 12 TH GRADE - MY LIFE IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH 1 The Holy Trinity Textbook Chapter 1 & 2 2 God is Communion Textbook Chapter 3 3 The Church: The Body of Christ Textbook Chapter 4 4 Eternal Kingdom Textbook Chapters 5 5 Holy Chrismation Textbook Chapter 10 6 Salvation as Healing Textbook Chapter 11 7 The Saints - Icons of Christ Textbook Chapters 7 & 8 8 Veneration of the Saints New Material See Teacher s Guide 9 Praying for the Departed Textbook Chapter 9 10 Time Transfigured Textbook Chapter 6 11 Orthodox Spirituality New Material See Teacher s Guide 12 Mission in the Early Church Textbook Chapters 12 & 13 13 Orthodox Missions Textbook Chapter 14, 15 & 16 14 Is our Faith being challenged? Textbook Chapter 20 & 24 15 Ecumenism Textbook Chapters 17 to 19, 23 16 Christ at Work - Finding One s Vocation New Material See Teacher s Guide Optional Lessons: Chapters 21 & 22 Note: Teachers should reference the 12 th Grade Diploma Exam materials through the year to assess the students readiness to take the examination. The materials are located on the Diocese website at http://www.ds- wa.org/twelfth- grade- diploma.html, and also referenced in the Teacher s Guide