Millennium Charter Academy - Grade Requirements & Reading Lists

On this page you will find required and suggested reading for all grade levels, along with some guidelines that show what skills and work students should have mastered prior to the beginning of the school year they are entering.

Kindergarten
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade

What E very Future MCA Kindergartener Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Be able to recognize own name in print
Be able to print first name
Be able to hold scissors correctly
Be able to cut on curved lines
Be able to recognize 4 basic shapes (circle, square, triangle & rectangle)
Be able to recognize 8 basic colors
Be able to tell full name, address, telephone number and birthday
Be able to count to 10
Be able to attend to personal needs (Ex. Use restroom without assistance and ask to be excused)
Be able to express needs verbally
Be able to use good manners (Ex. Yes Ma'am, please & thank you)
Be able to independently unpack supplies daily

Required Summer Kindergarten Reading
1. Please purchase What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know, by E. D. Hirsh, Jr., and John Holdren. Read to your child the section titled: Familiar and Favorite Poems. Please help your child memorize as many of these rhymes as possible. You may read any other selections from the text mentioned above.

3. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

4. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

5. Classics to Read Aloud to Your Children by William F. Russell

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What Every Rising MCA First Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

English:
Compose 1-3 sentences with inventive spelling. Spacing should be used.
Recognize all capital/lower case letters
Write letter of the alphabet when called out randomly
Read common sight words (see attached list).
Recognize rhyming words.

Mathematics:
Write numbers to 100.
Recognize numbers 1-110.
Count by 5's and 10's to 110.
Recognize all coins and dollar bills and know their value.
Tell time to the hour and half hour.

Study and Work Habits:
Follow directions
Be able to tie shoes.

Word List
Spell the following:

red
blue
green
orange
purple
brown
black
white
pink
yellow
gray
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
he
she
of
the
was
to
for
that
you

Required Summer Reading List

Please purchase What Your First Grader Needs to Know, by: E.D. Hirsch, Jr. Read selections from the Language and Literature section.

If your child is not familiar with the following books, please read these classics to or with him/her this summer.
The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, by: Jean Le Brunhoff
Grimm's Fairy Tales, by: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Horton Hatches the Egg and others, by: Dr. Seuss
Caps for Sale, by L. Esphyr Slobodkein
Rumplestiltskin, retold by Paul O. Zebinsky

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What Every Rising MCA Second Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

English:
Compose 4-5 sentences with spelling that can generally be read by others
Use correct punctuation and capitalization in sentence writing
" first word in a sentence
" proper names
" period to end telling sentence
" question mark to end asking sentence
Spell at least 80% of Word Wall words with accuracy

Reading:
Read all words from the sight word list without assistance
Read stories with comprehension on appropriate reading level

Mathematics:
Memorize addition and subtraction facts to 10
Write numbers to 100 and place in order according to value when given in scrambled order
Tell time to half hour
Recognize value and identify: pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
Show how different combinations of coins equal the same amount of money
Add 3 numbers (e.g. 3+4+5=)
Count by tens from a single given number (e.g. 7,17,27…)
Solve 2-digit addition and subtraction problems with and without regrouping

Required Summer Reading List

If your child is not familiar with the following books, please read these classics to/or with him/ her this summer.
Curious George books
Frog and Toad books
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
Make Way for Ducklings by Mike McCloskey
Blueberries for Sal by Mike McCloskey
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
Amelia Bedelia books

Expected Sight Word List for Upcoming Second Graders

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What Every Rising MCA Third Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Reading:
Students have the ability to confidently decode multi-syllabic words at grade level.
Students are able to read aloud fluently, rather than "word calling."
Students can read silently for thirty minutes and provide short summaries of their reading.
Students have been exposed to a wide variety of text including fictional, expository, and practical materials.
Students possess the ability to locate information using a variety of sources including the dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, non-fictional text, and the Internet.

Writing:
Students are able to demonstrate beginning dictionary skills including proficiency at alphabetizing, understanding of guidewords, and knowledge of the uses of the dictionary. Students should have had experiences, with or without guidance, using glossaries and dictionaries to search for word meanings and to edit their writing.
Students possess the ability to express feelings or thoughts in complete sentences.
Students are able to compose a narrative that focuses on a single topic or event.
Students' narratives include some details and elaboration.
Students are able to revise and edit their writing with guidance (if needed).
Students write legibly. Students have been introduced to cursive writing.

Mathematics:
Students should be able to recognize and write numbers up to 1,000.
Students should demonstrate mastery of 2 and 3 digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping.
Students should understand the concept of multiplication. They are expected to be able to define factor and product. They should know the product of multiplication facts 0s-5s. Students should also have practiced solving simple work problems using multiplication.
Students know addition and subtraction facts to 18.
Students can count multiple patterns: 1, 2, 5, and 10.
Students should comprehend the terms greater than, less than, and equal to.
Students should be familiar with measurements, conversions, both Customary and Metric
Students should be familiar and have had practice applying the problem solving process to solve a variety of work problems.
Students should demonstrate mastery of interpreting graphs, charts and tables.
Students should be able to identify fractions: ½, 1/3, ¼, 1/5, 1/6, 1/8, and 1/10 and fractions that are equal to 1.
Students should know coin values and be able to write amounts and money using the appropriate notation. They should be able to make equivalent sets of money, and count change at least up to $1.00.
Students should demonstrate mastery of telling time to the minute using both analog and digital clocks. They should also know how to distinguish A.M. and P.M., and understand noon and midnight. Students should be proficient at solving problems involving elapsed time
Student should be confident in using a calendar to identify the date, day of the week, month, and year.
Students should be able to identify and/or draw polygons and polyhedrons.
Students should understand symmetry and congruency.
Students should be able to measure perimeter in inches and determine the area of a figure.
They should be able to identify horizontal, vertical, parallel, and perpendicular lines.
Students should be able to design congruent figures and designs.

History & Geography:
Third grade topics of study will build on Core Knowledge concepts covered in second grade.
Students should also be familiar with geography terms and should be able to apply basic map skills.

Science:
A review of topics studied in second grade will better prepare students for third grade science lessons. Students may also wish to prepare for a third grade astronomy unit by observing the night sky, focusing on constellations and the phases of the moon.

Summer Reading Selections

Please choose one of the following:
How to Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell
Ramona Quimby, Age 8, by Beverly Cleary

Required selections for all students:
Aesop's Fables
A Pizza the Size of the Sun, by Jack Prelutsky

Recommended Selections:
The Chocolate Touch, by Patrick Catling
The Selfish Giant, by Oscar Wilde

Enrichment Readings:
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Magician's Nephew, by C. S. Lewis
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What Every Rising MCA Fourth Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Reading:
Complete the books Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt and Frindle by Andrew Clement upon entering 4th grade. Instruction will begin with the assumption that these books have already been read.
Read silently for at least 30 minutes
Read a variety of literature, including but not limited to What Your fourth Grader Needs to Know, fiction, non fiction, legends, folklore, and biography
Comprehend oral and silent reading.

Writing:
Write a beginning, middle, and end of a story
Use details to support topic
Use colorful vocabulary
Write in cursive

English:
Know the following parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adverbs, adjective, and conjunctions
Spell high frequency words
Know rules for capitalization
Know rules for punctuation

Mathematics:
Memorize multiplication facts 0-12
Know measurements of standard units and equivalencies of standard metric units
Regroup in addition and subtraction
Comprehend operation needed to solve problems

History & Geography:
Know North Carolina's governor
Look up information about North Carolina (government, counties, state facts, and trivia)
Know map skills, such as cardinal directions, use of map key, etc.

Required Summer Reading
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Frindle by Andrew Clements

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What Every Rising MCA Fifth Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Mathematics:
"Read and write word names for numbers through millions
"Multiplication facts 1's - 12's by memory ( Ex: 6 x 8 = 48)
"Division facts by memory (Ex: 48    8 = 6)
"Add and subtract multi-digit numbers with and without decimals
"Divide using single numbers ( Ex: 76,892   4)
"Measure angles using a protractor
"Plot coordinates on a grid

Science:
Plan and conduct an experiment using the scientific procedure
Use simple tools to gather data (ruler, magnifier, thermometer...)
Communicate the results of careful observations
Use data gathered to construct a reasonable explanation (i.e., a conclusion that is not simply restating the results)

Reading:
Complete the books Sounder by William Armstrong, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare upon entering 5th grade. Instruction will begin with the assumption that these books have already been read.
Sustain silent reading for at least 30 minutes.
Read a variety of literature (fiction, nonfiction, legends, folklore, biography, and poetry).
Comprehend oral and silent reading.
Retell a story and/or chapter after reading it, recalling important details and facts.

Writing:
Independently write a beginning, middle, and end of a story.
Write well-developed paragraphs, using details to support topic.
Use colorful and challenging vocabulary.
Write in cursive.

English:
Know the following parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, and conjunction.
Understand what a complete sentence is and identify subject and predicate, correct fragments and run-ons.
Spell high frequency words.
Know rules for capitalization.
Understand how prefixes and suffixes affect word meaning.

History & Geography:
"Use map skills such as cardinal directions, key, distance, etc.
"Be familiar with the states and capitals and basic U.S. geography.
"Use and read a world map.

Required Summer Reading
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Sounder by William Armstrong
Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

Suggested Reading List:
Homecoming (Cynthia Voigt)
Shel Silverstein Poetry Books
The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame)
Bridge to Terabithia   (Katherine Paterson)
Children of the Longhouse (Joseph Bruchac)
Island of the Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell)
Five-Minute Mysteries   (Kenneth Weber)
Stuart Little (E.B. White)
The Tales of Uncle Remus
Summer of the Swans (Betsy Cromer Byars)
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle)
Tears of a Tiger (Sharon Mills Draper)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Robert C. O'Brien)

Suggested Historical Speeches
The Gettysburg Address (Abraham Lincoln)
The Preamble to the Constitution
I will fight no more forever. (Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce)

Suggested Series

American Girl Series
Anne of Green Gables
Dear America Series
Help…I'm Trapped Series
Little House on the Prairie

Suggested Authors

Avi
C. S. Lewis
Jan Brett
Betsy Cromer Byars
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Gary Paulsen
Andrew Clements
Laura Ingalls Wilder

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What Every Rising MCA Sixth Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Mathematics
Computes with rational numbers
Uses properties and relationships in geometry
Knows units of metric and customary measurement
Knows patterns, relationships and elementary algebraic representation

Science
Uses evidence, models and reasoning to form scientific explanations
Understands the nature of scientific thought
Uses cognitive and manipulation skills necessary for scientific explanations
Communicates clearly

English
Has working knowledge of grammar skills
oSubject-verb agreement
oVerb tenses
oNouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections
oCorrect usage of phrases and clauses
oAble to use context clues, dictionary, glossary, thesaurus, and structural analysis
Is comfortable implementing the 6 + 1 Traits in their writing
Self-edits successfully
Possesses familiarity with a variety of literature

History & Geography
Is generally familiar with:
o Major world religions
o Early events of world civilizations and cultures
o Beginnings of American civilizations prior to the Civil War
Possesses strong spatial sense and can utilize maps, globes, atlases and other geographic tools
Has ability to create and label various types of maps

Required Summer Reading List
Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin's (ISBN # 0802836194, available at Pages)
Poetry selections (2-5) by each of the following: Henry Wadsworth. Longfellow, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou
Biographies (1 about each of the following): John Rockefeller, Franklin Roosevelt

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What Every Rising MCA Seventh Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Mathematics
Computes with negative numbers, including percentages and probability
Measures two and three-dimensional figures
Solves problems using geometry
Understands simple algebraic expressions
Uses graphs to analyze data

Science
Understands the unifying concepts of science
Makes connections to math, technology, social sciences, and communication skills
Uses reasoning, insight, skill, and creativity to solve problems

English
Writes a persuasive essay
Writes a research paper
Identifies sentence types
Demonstrates correct usage of grammar
Identifies active/passive voice
Spells troublesome words
Demonstrates knowledge of Latin and Greek roots
Understands and identify a variety of literature
Understands sayings and phrases

History & Geography
Demonstrates map-reading skills, understanding of timelines
Has familiarity of geographic terms, major land forms,
Identifies major world religions
Possesses familiarity with ancient Greek and Roman civilizations
Possesses familiarity with various historical time periods
Possesses familiarity with industrialism, capitalism, socialism, industrialism, urbanization

Required Summer Reading List
The Call of the Wild by Jack London (ISBN #0192835149, Oxford Classic, available at Pages)
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," a short story by James Thurber
"The Gift of the Magi," a short story by O. Henry
Poetry selections (2-5) by each of the following: Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes
Biographies (1 about each of the following): Eleanor & Franklin Roosevelt, Dmitri Mendeleev, Antoine Lavoisier

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What Every Rising MCA Eighth Grader Needs to Know
Skills and work to be mastered & reviewed prior to August

Mathematics
Translates between words, tables, graphs, and equations
Uses Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems
Understands concepts of probability
Simplifies algebraic expressions
Uses graphs to analyze data
Solves multi-step linear equations and inequalities

Science
Defines the parts of the scientific method
Uses the scientific method as a framework for developing research proposals
Designs and carries out a self-selected research project
Generates a research paper in conjunction with a research project
Recognizes the value of science in today's society
Describes the scientific problems facing today's scientists and those of the past
Self-evaluates projects and those of peers by identifying strengths and weaknesses
Identifies the role of variables in research projects.
Develops procedures addressing variables that might impact research
Shows how scientific problem solving helps solve problems in daily lives
Draws connections between science and other academic areas

English
Writes an informational essay: cause/effect and definition
Writes a research paper by synthesizing and evaluating data
Identifies dependent and independent clauses
Demonstrates knowledge of Latin and Greek roots
Understands and identifies a variety of literature
Understands commonly used foreign sayings and phrases

History & Geography
Demonstrates map-reading skills, understanding of timelines
Has familiarity of geographic terms, major land forms,
Possesses familiarity with ancient Greek and Roman civilizations
Possesses familiarity with various historical time periods
Possesses familiarity with industrialism, capitalism, socialism, industrialism, urbanization

Required Summer Reading List
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (ISBN #0743272935, available at Pages for $14.00)
Suggested reading on Vietnam War: The Tunnels of Chu Chi by Tom Mangold & John Penycate (ISBN # 0891418695) (a Loftin favorite---not required)
"Inaugural Address" delivered by President John Kennedy on January 20, 1961
"The Bet" a short story by Anton Chekov
Poetry selections (2-5) by each of the following: Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Burns, William Butler Yeats (online or at public library)
Biographies (1 about each of the following): President Dwight Eisenhower, Maya Angelou, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. (online or at public library)

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