Academics
Our nation’s Founders emphasized the early mastery of literacy as the key to knowledge in all areas.1 They also understood that each academic subject constitutes a specific part of the pursuit of knowledge of the world and man’s place in it. LTA’s academic program is based on this traditional, American liberal arts model because we, along with many people in our community, agree with our Founders that the liberty and happiness of our students and our nation depend on this kind of education.
Unique to LTA’s approach is the combination of the American liberal arts tradition with cutting-edge, researched-based programs, each of which involves a content-rich, organized, and sequential continuum of learning. Our curriculum begins with the rudiments of literacy and math skills and continues in a coherent and orderly fashion to the higher orders of knowledge, logic, thought and expression.
[1] Rush, “A Plan for the Establishment of Public Schools, 1786.”
Curriculum from Hillsdale College
Liberty Tree Academy is a Hillsdale College Curriculum School, a distinction that offers our school access to a tried and true K-12 Curriculum from the Hillsdale College K-12 Education Office.
About Hillsdale
Hillsdale College was founded to provide the kind of sound learning necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty. For over 175 years, it has offered an outstanding liberal arts education for undergraduate students. Restoring excellence to American K-12 education is a natural extension of the College’s mission, and Hillsdale has been helping K-12 schools for over three decades.
Helpful Links
For more information about Hillsdale College support for schools like Liberty Tree Academy, visit k12.hillsdale.edu.
Fine Arts
LTA values the arts for their role in developing knowledge and character. They emphasize creative, historical, and analytical understanding, starting with active participation in activities like singing, dancing, and painting. Students also engage with fine art and music. As they advance, they learn artistic methods and terminology, and study great artists. High schoolers take music theory, history, and performance, and art courses. Four semesters of fine arts are required, including at least one music course.
History, Geography, Economics and Civics
LTA offers a comprehensive curriculum in history, geography, economics, and civics. High school students study four years of history, plus American government and economics. History focuses on humanity’s quest for freedom and justice, integrating world and American history with literature in K-8. Geography is integrated with history using ancient and modern maps. Economics covers free market principles and original economic works. Civic education begins early, emphasizing political order and self-government, with high school courses centered on original documents and American political theory.
Math
LTA’s math program develops students’ procedural and conceptual understanding, enabling them to apply mathematical concepts to diverse problems. Emphasizing a classical approach, the program helps students appreciate the order and harmony in math. The goals are to
1) Understand the structure of mathematical thought and apply reasoning skills across disciplines, and
2) Use the language of mathematics in practical pursuits.
Latin
LTA values Latin for its intellectual benefits, including enhancing reasoning skills, improving English grammar and vocabulary, and facilitating the learning of other languages. Latin study also correlates with higher SAT scores and is foundational in fields like science, medicine, and law. The ultimate goal is for students to engage deeply with the works of great Roman and subsequent thinkers, enriching their understanding of history, literature, and philosophy. Mastery of Latin provides a profound vision of Roman culture, integral to a classical education.
Science
Science at LTA fosters understanding of ourselves and the world through a rigorous curriculum, from elementary to high school. Emphasizing respect and wonder, students study biographies and original scientific works. The curriculum covers physical, life, and earth sciences, integrating direct instruction, demonstrations, readings, and experiments. High school students receive extensive training in analytical thinking and the scientific method, starting with biology, followed by chemistry, and then physics. Elective science courses will expand as the school grows, focusing on developing scientific literacy and vocabulary.
Literacy
LTA’s academic program emphasizes language mastery, focusing on grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Grammar builds foundational knowledge, logic explores reasoning and relationships, and rhetoric develops eloquence in argumentation. The curriculum is sequential and iterative, using the Socratic Method to enhance analytical thinking. Early education prioritizes direct instruction in reading and writing basics, with increasing Socratic learning in higher grades. Teachers uphold high standards in communication and include phonics, grammar, classic literature, and Latin in the curriculum.
Lower School Curriculum Maps
Curriculum maps are guides used to show what students will be learning during their years at Liberty Tree Academy. These maps can change without notice to remain in compliance with state requirements.
Upper School Curriculum Maps
Curriculum maps are guides used to show what students will be learning during their years at Liberty Tree Academy. These maps can change without notice to remain in compliance with state requirements.