Early Elementary
2025-26 School Year
Daily Record of
Readings and Lessons
for the 2nd Hour of Class:
Science, History, and Greek
The list of readings and lessons for August - October 2025 is below.
The list of scheduled readings for November 2025 is here.
August 2025
Monday, August 25
History: Introduction to History: Read the book When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and discussed the question: What is history?
Greek: (Class #1)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 1
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 1-2
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class: Αα, Μμ, Ιι
Tuesday, August 26
Science: Read the book Thundercake by Patricia Polacco. We talked about the storm that happened the previous afternoon, and began our “Weather Lap Book.” Made “Thundercake” (chocolate cake) according to the recipe in the book, and the students helped measure the ingredients.
Wednesday, August 27
Catechism/Faith: The Calendar: the months, the seasons, and the feasts of the Church. We had a conversation with the students about the twelve months of the year and their order; the students put the month cards in order on a large table. We discussed what is the first month of the year in the secular calendar and the first month of the year in the Church calendar. Then we re-ordered the month cards according to the church calendar. After that, we discussed the seasons and put a season card next to each month. Then we discussed the fact that there are twelve great feasts of the Church, and we placed the Great Feast cards next to each month in the year where they occur. We discussed where we are now in the calendar: in summer, in August, near the end of the Church year. We discussed the fact that the previous feast (Dormition) was the last Great Feast of the year, and that the first Great Feast of the new year, which is coming soon, is the Nativity of the Mother of God (explaining that the year begins with the birth of the Mother of God and ends with her repose). Lastly, we read aloud with the children a prayer for the Indiction of the Church Year, and listened to a recording of the hymn for the Indiction, which was the prayer we had just read.
Thursday, August 28
American History: We read a book about Native Americans.
Greek: (Class #2)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 1-2
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 1-4
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class: Νν
Friday, August 29
Science: Read The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies
*Books marked with an asterisk have had minor edits or adaptations made to the book.
September 2025
Monday, September 1
Labor Day Federal Holiday - No Class
Tuesday, September 2
FIELD TRIP: Casa Grande National Monument: We toured the monument and the Visitor Center (museum); the children completed the Junior Ranger workbook on the Casa Grande Monument, and received badges for their work in the book. This field trip incorporated American History and Science, as there was a page in the workbook on native desert plants, and the students had to find a living example of each plant in the landscaping of the visitor center. (This field trip was added to the Early Elementary class schedule only two days prior, in conjunction with a field trip planned for the 4th-6th-grade girls Early American History class).
Wednesday, September 3
Catechism/Faith: Read to the students about the Nativity of the Mother of God; read with the students the words of the apolytikion of the feast and discussed what the words mean; taught the students the hymn, and practiced singing the hymn together. All students were asked to say something they remembered about the feast, and each student responded verbally. Then, each student wrote something about the feast on their paper related to the Nativity of the Mother of God. Students who are writing in cursive were required to write their response in manuscript and then again in cursive.
Thursday, September 4
Greek: (Class #3)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 2-3
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 3-6
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class: Εε
Friday, September 5
Geography: The Seven Continents: We looked at the seven continents on the globe and on the world map wall-mural. We listed all the names of the different continents on the board, and students located and labeled the continents on their own paper map of the world. Students were asked to color each continent a different color according to the color key given.
Monday, September 8
The Nativity of the Mother of God - NO CLASS
Tuesday, September 9
Science: Read the books Roots, Stems, and Leaves by Sally Morgan and How Do Apples Grow?* by Betsy Maestro. (*minor edits: We skipped over the details of plant fertilization.)
Wednesday, September 10
Catechism/Faith: Read to the students: A Visual Catechism of the Orthodox Church by Metropolitan of Nafpaktos, Hierotheos (Vlachos)
Thursday, September 11
Church History: Read “Saint Constantine the Great” (May 21) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 43-48) and “Saints Constantine and Helen” (May 21) from A Child’s Paradise of Saints by Nun Nectaria McLees (pages 10-13)
Greek: (Class #4)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 3-4
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 5-7
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Friday, September 12
Catechism/Faith: Read to the students about the feast of the Elevation of the Cross; read with the students the words of the apolytikion of the feast and discussed what the words mean; taught the students the hymn, and practiced singing the hymn together. All students were asked to say something they remembered about the feast, and each student responded verbally. Then, each student wrote something about the feast on their paper related to the Elevation of the Cross. Students who are writing in cursive were required to write their response in manuscript and then again in cursive.
Monday, September 15
Church History: Read “Saint Niketas” (September 15) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 53-58)
Greek: (Class #5)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 4-5
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 7-9
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class: Λλ, Οο, Ηη,
Tuesday, September 16
American History & Geography: Read the first half of The Discovery of the Americas* by Betsy Maestro. Viewed locations in the book, on the globe, and on the world map wall-mural. (*Paisano Tutoring owns eight copies of this book and has made edits on pages 3, 5, and 7.)
Wednesday, September 17
Catechism/Faith: Upcoming Sunday Gospel: The students took turns reading aloud the Gospel for the Sunday After the Elevation of the Cross; they read aloud the words of the apolytikion, and they practiced singing it together.
Catechism/Faith: The Creed: Students were told a story from the book Everyday Saints about how one monastery in Russia during communist times only allowed visitors and pilgrims to visit the monastery if they could recite the Creed at the monastery gate, and how the monastery was able to get rid of all disrespect by making this requirement. We explained that all Orthodox Christians must know the Creed, but that the majority of youth in this community do not know the Creed (of all the students to ever attend Paisano Tutoring, including middle schoolers and high schoolers, only three knew the Creed!) which is a great tragedy, but we want to help this class know the Creed from a young age because that is what is fitting for young Orthodox Christians. Students were given a paper containing the words of the first phrase of the Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible,” and practiced writing this phrase in cursive. They will practice writing the Creed in their homework.
Thursday, September 18
American History & Geography: Read the second half of The Discovery of the Americas* by Betsy Maestro; Viewed locations in the book, on the globe, and on the world map wall-mural. (*Paisano Tutoring owns eight copies of this book and has made edits on pages 3, 5, and 7.)
Greek: (Class #6)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 5-6
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 8-11
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Friday, September 19
Church History: Read “Saint Eustathios” (September 20) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 21-26)
Science: Read In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby
Monday, September 22
American History: Read part of Where Do You Think You’re Going, Christopher Columbus?* by Jean Fritz
Greek: (Class #7)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 6-7
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 10-12
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Tuesday, September 23
Science: Read Redwoods* by Jason Chin (*with minor edits to page 5, the page with the dinosaurs)
Wednesday, September 24
Catechism/Faith: Read the Gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday. The students took turns reading aloud
Thursday, September 25
Geography: Read Chapters 1-3 of Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling (*with minor edits in these three chapters)
Greek: (Class #8)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 7-8
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 12-14
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class: Ττ, Υυ
Friday, September 26
Church History: Read “Saint Callistratus” (September 27) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 27-30)
Science: Read Why Do Leaves Change Colors? by Betsy Maestro
Monday, September 29
Church History: Read “Saint John Koukouzelis” (October 1) from Friends of Christ: October by Demetrios and Anna Fotopoulos (pages 8-17)
American History: Read Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness
Greek: (Class #9)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 8-9
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 13-15
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class: 12-15, 18
New letters learned in class:
Tuesday, September 30
Science: Read Down Comes the Rain by Franklyn Branley (The students took turns reading aloud); Work on the “Rain” and “Cloud” portion of the “Weather Lapbook.”
*Books marked with an asterisk have had minor edits or adaptations made to the book.
October 2025
Wednesday, October 1
Church History: Read “Saints Cyprian and Justina” (October 2) from A Child’s Paradise of Saints by Nun Nectaria McLees (pages 14-19)
American History: Read Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh
Greek: (Class #10)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 9-10
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 14-17
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class: 19
New letters learned in class: Κκ
Thursday, October 2
Science: Read The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins (The students took turns reading aloud) and Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros; Work on the “Wind” portion of the “Weather Lapbook.”
Friday, October 3
Catechism/Faith: Read the upcoming Sunday Gospel
Greek: (No Greek Class today, but students have Greek homework in their homework folders)
Monday, October 6
Church History: Read “The Holy Apostle Thomas” (October 6) from Friends of Christ: October by Demetrios and Anna Fotopoulos (pages 18-36)
Greek: (Class #11)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 11-12
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 17-20
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:21-22
New letters learned in class: Ππ, Ωω
Tuesday, October 7
Church History: Read “Saints Sergius and Bacchus” (October 7) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 59-64)
Science: Read Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons and Oh Say Can You Say What’s the Weather Today? All About Weather by Tish Rabe; worked on the “Forecasting” section of the Weather Lapbook.
Wednesday, October 8 - No class today. Students may check out books.
Church History: Read “Saint Andronikos and Saint Athanasia” (October 9) from Friends of Christ: October by Demetrios and Anna Fotopoulos (pages 37-49)
Greek: (No Greek Class today, but students have Greek homework in their homework folders)
Thursday, October 9
Science: (1) The students took turns reading aloud Watching the Seasons by Edana Eckart and Day and Night by Robin Nelson; (2) the instructor read to the students Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn Branley; (3) the students worked on the “Season” section of their “Weather Lapbook".”
Friday, October 10
Faith: Read the upcoming Sunday Gospel (The students took turns reading the text aloud. Note: the printed text from which the students read was in cursive.)
We also read “The Lion and the Mouse” from The Fables of Aesop and looked at the picture book The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Greek: (Class #12)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class: 12-13
Papaloizos reader pages read in class: 18-21
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class: 24-25
New letters learned in class: Ρρ
Monday, October 13
We had a large rain last night, so we read: Rain! by Linda Ashman* (with minor edits)
American History: Read Watch the Stars Come Out by Riki Levinson
Geography: Read Chapters 4-7 of Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling
Greek: (Class #13)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Tuesday, October 14
Science: Read The Water Cycle at Work by Rebecca Olien, Water is Water: A Book about the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul, Illustrated by Jason Chin, Rain by Marion Bauer, and Rainbow by Marion Bauer. (The students took turns reading aloud all of these books to the group, except for the first one, which was read by the instructor.)
Science: Students worked on the “water cycle” section of their “Weather” lapbook.
Wednesday, October 15
While waiting for all students to arrive, we read “Sergeant Murphy of the Busytown Police Department” from Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? (pages 32-36)
Church History: Read “Saint Longinos the Centurion” (October 16) from Friends of Christ: October by Demetrios and Anna Fotopoulos (pages 50-59)
Greek: (Class #14)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Thursday, October 16
Today’s science topic was “The Sun” so we began by reading Genesis 1: 1-19 (The instructor read aloud while the students followed along with their own copy of the text.)
Science: Read A Tree for all Seasons by Robin Bernard (with a minor edit on page 14), Watching the Seasons by Edana Eckart, and Wind by Marion Bauer. (The instructor read the first book, and then the students took turns reading aloud the last two books.)
Geography: Read Chapters 8-9 of Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling
Science: Students worked on their “Weather” Lapbooks.
Friday, October 17
Faith: Read the upcoming Sunday Gospel
Science/Geography: On the Same Day in March by Marilyn Singer
Greek: (Class #15)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Monday, October 20
Church History: Read “Saint Artemius” (October 20) from My Warrior Saints by Dionysios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis (pages 17-20) and “Saint Demetrius of Thessalonica” (October 26) from A Child’s Paradise of Saints by Nun Nectaria McLees (pages 20-22)
Greek: (Class #16)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Tuesday, October 21
Science: Clouds by Anne Rockwell, My First Encyclopedia of Animals: “Lions” (page 21), “Elephants” (page 26), and “Giraffe” (page 34), Wildlife of the World: “Giraffe” (page 199); Then we worked on our Animal Lapbooks.
Wednesday, October 22
Church History: Read Every Time I Do My Cross by Presvytera Angela Alatzakis and Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-flowing (through page 14, St. Nestor’s victory) by Demetrios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis
Greek: (Class #17)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Thursday, October 23
Science: Read Celebrate the Earth by Dorrie Papademetriou, The Great Flood by Susan Crowder, and My First Encyclopedia of Animals: “Zebras” (page 27), “Walrus” (page 66), “Whale” (page 70), and “Dolphin” (page 71); Then we worked on our Animal Lapbooks.
Friday, October 24
Church History: Read Saint Demetrios the Myrrh-flowing (page 15-22) by Demetrios and Egle-Ekaterine Potamitis
Greek: (Class #18)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Monday, October 27
History: Read about the history of Oxi Day, and we also read about the history and meaning of the Greek flag.
Greek: (Class #19) — Miss Ioanna helped the students read through the first two verses of the Greek National Anthem, explained its meaning, and then helped them learn the melody of the national anthem. Then the class practiced singing the Greek National anthem many times.
Tuesday, October 28
Science: Today the topic was again mammals, and the students chose which books we would read. Altogether, we read: (1) Where Do Polar Bears Live? by Sarah Thompson, (2) Cheetah Cubs by Ginjer Clarke, (3) The Cheetah: Fast as Lightning by Christine Denis-Huot, and (4) Amazing Whales! by Sarah Thomson
Wednesday, October 29
American History: We looked at the book Mayflower 1620: A New Look at a Pilgrim Voyage. The text is written for an older audience, but we read the captions to all of the photographs and read clips of the text.
Greek: (Class #20)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
Thursday, October 30
Science: Armadillos by Emily Sebastian, Amazing Armadillos by Jennifer McKerley, Orangutan: A Day in the Rainforest Canopy by Rita Goldner
Friday, October 31
Church History: Read “Venerable David of Evia” (November 1) from Friends of Christ: November by Demetrios and Anna Fotopoulos (pages 8-21)
Greek: (Class #21)
Papaloizos workbook pages done in class:
Papaloizos reader pages read in class:
ΤΑ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΜΟΥ pages done in class:
New letters learned in class:
*Books marked with an asterisk have had minor edits or adaptations made to the book.
