RELIGION
Catholic values are discussed and integrated not only in Religion class, but in all learning. Students will learn about the Catholic faith within the context of the liturgical year through scripture, stories, activities, prayer, discussion and reflection. The text used for instruction is Pflaum Gospel Weeklies: Promise.
Traditional prayers
Weekly Gospel Readings
Age-appropriate doctrinal catechesis with the liturgical life of the church
MATHEMATICS
Students acquire knowledge of mathematics and the ability to apply math skills to solve problems. The text used for instruction is The University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics - Common Core Edition.
Develop math fluency to 10 in addition using the Rocket Math program
Solving number story problems
Time to the hour and half hour
Money (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies)
Mental addition and subtraction
Using a number line and hundreds chart
Geometry
Visual number patterns (skip counting, odd and even numbers)
Measurement
Place value
Fractions
Adding and subtracting two digit numbers
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The goal of the P.E. and Health curriculum at Saint Mary School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well-being. The program mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to become literate. This will allow them to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their life, which benefits students of all ages and all aspects of their growth, development and learning. This will allow the students to become proficient movers, demonstrate strong character, collaborate effectively with their peers, think critically and become advocates for family and friends in promoting the value of exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices.
LANGUAGE ART/READING
The language arts program includes reading, writing, speaking, listening, and the study of literature. The components of the program emphasize the development of skills needed to build reading fluency and comprehension as well as being able communicate, listen and speak effectively. The textbooks used for instruction are Journeys Common Core: Catholic School Edition and Jolly Phonics.
Reading/Literature
Students experience authentic literature in the form of poetry, folktales, nonfiction, fiction, fantasies and plays. Through reading experiences, the students develop reading fluency and comprehension.
Linking spoken and written language
Using word identification and decoding strategies
Developing vocabulary
Analyzing story structure (character, setting, plot) and story elements (main idea and details)
Using comprehension strategies to understand the text (predicting, inferring, visualizing, questioning, context clues)
Identifying different types of genre (fiction and nonfiction)
Writing
Students work through the seven steps of the writing process to develop and publish pieces across a variety of genres including personal narrative, how-to, persuasive writing, letters, and research reports.
Handwriting
Using Universal Publisher’s Writing Our Catholic Faith handwriting series, students are guided through a step-by-step process for writing legible upper and lowercase letters along with numerals 1-20. Students practice letters, words, and sentences while focusing letter formation of shape, size, spacing, and slant.
SCIENCE
Students use concrete, hands-on experiences to understand science in the physical and natural world around them. They learn through predicting, observing, questioning and explaining.
Sound and light
Patterns in the solar system (seasons of the year and moon phases)
Plant and Animal needs and adaptations for survival
SOCIAL STUDIES
Students acquire social and cultural understanding of the world around them.
Work in the community
Comparing and contrasting the past to the present
Famous Americans’ influence on our country
Symbols of the United States
SPANISH
Risa y sonrisas
The children will be developing their language skills in basic Spanish through a variety of activities including songs, games, conversations, and simple reading and writing exercises
ART
The art class at Saint Mary is an interactive experience. Students are encouraged to strive for a "growth mindset.” Students use all forms of artistic mediums to do a variety of artistic projects.
Students are evaluated using pass/fail, based on the following guidelines:
effort/participation
creativity
craftsmanship
