Saint Mary School

RELIGION

Catholic values are embedded across the third grade curriculum. Students will learn about the Catholic faith through faith stories, activities, scripture, discussion, reflection and weekly Mass attendance. The textbook series is Sadlier’s We Believe. Emphasis is on:

• Liturgical calendar

• Early Church

• Types of Prayer including The Apostle’s Creed and the Our Father

• Saints

• Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter

• Sacraments

Service projects are related to the Virtue of the Month. For example, classes visit Feed My Starving Children during Lent.

MATHEMATICS

The University of Chicago Everyday Mathematics- Common Core Edition is a spiral math curriculum which focuses on solving problems in everyday situations. Emphasis is on:

• Addition & Subtraction

• Linear measurement and Area

• Multiplication and Division

• Place Value - Whole numbers and decimals

• Geometry

• Fractions

• Measurement, Data and Probability

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 ARTS/READING

The Language Arts program includes opportunities for reading, writing, speaking and listening. The program emphasizes the development of reading comprehension, reading with accuracy and fluency, expanding vocabulary communicating effectively in both writing and speaking. The anchor text series for Reading instruction Journeys Common Core Catholic School Edition. Emphasis is on:

Reading/Literature

• Cause and effect

• Main idea and details

• Author’s purpose

• Sequence of events

• Weekly spelling

• Literature Circles/Novel studies

Grammar and Vocabulary

Texts used are Sadlier Grammar Workshop and Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop. Emphasis is on:

• Parts of speech

• Sentence construction and writing conventions

• Expanding vocabulary

Writing

Students will work through the writing workshop process of brainstorming, planning, drafting, editing and revision. Writing pieces include:

• Personal narrative

• Fictional narrative

• Expository/research writing

• Poetry

HANDWRITING

Students practice correct letter formation in cursive using the Writing Our Catholic Faith Grade 3 text from Universal Publishing.

SCIENCE

The MacMillan/McGraw-Hill Science text as well as content from online sources Science A-Z and Mystery Science are used in combination with hands-on activities to strengthen students’ understanding of Science concepts. Students also participate in a separate STEM class to explore engineering concepts. Emphasis is on:

• Earth Science- weather and climate

• Physical Science- force and motion and magnets

• Life Science- life cycles of plants and animals, inherited and learned traits and adaptations

• STEM

SOCIAL STUDIES

Students develop an awareness of the world around them and how people affect their environment. The text used for instruction Houghton-Mifflin Social Studies Communities. Emphasis is on:

• Geography and landforms

• Different types of communities

• Native Americans

• Age of Exploration

• America’s 13 Colonies and becoming a country

• Westward Expansion

• Immigration

• American government

• Economics

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

MUSIC

Students will have the opportunity to participate in music activities and to develop an appreciation for music.

Emphasis is on:

• Singing in groups and performance opportunities

• Involvement in choirs.

• Exploring a variety of musical styles

• Understanding tonality through singing and listening activities.

• Developing vocal skills, understanding how the voice works