Homeschool Curriculum Overview
Our 23-week curriculum includes a 20-minute lesson on Day 1 introducing a new concept and the Heart Attributes taught that week. Days 2–5 are engaging 10 minute lessons with activities reinforcing the weekly concept and incorporating original songs, stories, puppets, journal prompts, full-color animation, games, crafts, and role-play. Lessons at every grade level have their own interactive whiteboard activity, which is accessible through the My Manners intranet portal.
Set in the imaginary town of Merryville, the curriculum is based on original stories that ignite the imagination and reveal a world of possibilities. The host of colorful characters welcomes young visitors to a world filled with Respect, Kindness, Acceptance and Hope.
Take a Closer Look
Best Practices
Manners of the Heart is an effective, user-friendly, respect-based Heart Education curriculum. For optimum results, introduce the new Concept on Day 1, followed by daily lessons throughout the week and Bible application on Day 5.
Delivery of Instruction
Daily Morning Announcement—Begin each day with these words of encouragement
Merryville Story—Read story aloud or play audio recording
Art/Music of the Heart—Visual art or musical activity
Merryville Moves—Out of your seat activity
Creative Connection—Puppet play, drama or creative play
Bible Application
Instructional Design
Lev Vygotsky, a developmental psychologist in the early 1900s, introduced the foundation for what has become the social and emotional learning of today. The necessity of social interactions, instruction and relationships in the development of higher learning was a cornerstone of his work. He asserted that the potential for cognitive development is limited without fully developed social skills.
In the scope and sequence of Manners of the Heart lessons, we have designed three levels of competency based in Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory. Weekly lessons expand by grade level to include the ever-changing world of a child.
Using Week 4 as an example, the concept of Helping Others is introduced as “Helping when asked to help.” The world of PreK-1st graders consists of a small, protected environment. Learning how to follow directions is the first level of competency.
As their world expands, 2nd graders begin to understand the next level of competency, “Helping without being asked.” The satisfaction gained from following the direction to help others in their early years, becomes the motivation to reach out and help someone who is in need without being asked.
Your students will discover the greatest satisfaction in life comes from finding your purpose so that you can help others find their purpose. This is the long-term gain and life-transforming work in the heart of your students that takes place through Manners of the Heart.
Online Resources
My Manners is the intranet portal available with paid subscription at mannersoftheheart.org. It includes:
- Grade Level Lesson Materials and Reproducibles
- 161 Interactive Whiteboard Activities—designed for use with ActivInspire Software
- Audio Recordings of the Merryville Stories
- Video Recordings of Merryville Songs
- Animation Videos
- Daily Morning Announcements
- Journal Prompts
- English and Spanish Home Connection Letters
- Graphics
Sample Lessons
You can teach children to do math. You can teach children to read. Without Manners of the Heart, you cannot instill the desire to succeed.
Music Teacher, Shenandoah Elementary,
Baton Rouge, LA
When Should Lessons Be Taught?
Following core subjects, a new concept is introduced on Monday with reinforcement lessons taught Tuesday-Thursday leading to a determined level of mastery by Friday. The same is true for Manners of the Heart. The new concept is introduced on Day One through a Merryville Story that includes a practical application of the concept. Reinforcement lessons are taught Days Two-Four. Day Five offers a Bible application activity that encapsulates the core principles.
For school or district implementation, please contact Pam Prescott, at 225.383.3235 or pprescott@mannersoftheheart.org
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