Austin Catholic Elementary

Kindergarten SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Kindergarteners will focus Austin Catholic Schools offers an all day everyday kinder-on participating in group activities, demonstrating respect, garten program offering a variety of educational experi-practicing self-control, managing transitions, demonstratences to help develop our students’ sense of wonder. ing respect, demonstrating responsibility, and interacting

with peers.

Curriculum highlights:

RELIGION: Your child’s religious growth is achieved through a variety of means: the use of a religion curriculum, daily prayers, Mass attendance, Bible stories and art activities.

• Weekly Mass – Kindergarten students attend weekly Mass. They are given the opportunity to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.

READING: Austin Catholic Schools introduces VoWac and visual phonics skills, sounds, rhymes, letters, colors with color names, and sight words in our reading program. Your child’s reading experience also involves the use of the Scholastic Literary Place reading program.

to identify shapes, to identify coins, pattern identiﬁcation, and calendar skills. Kindergartners will be introduced to the Saxon Math series. This is the foundation for a math program that is used throughout our system in the coming years ahead.

HANDWRITING: Your child will focus on handwriting both capital and lowercase letters, ﬁrst and last names, sight words, and short sentences.

SCIENCE: Our kindergarten program will develop your child’s awareness of plants, animals, the ﬁve senses, personal well-being, nutrition, and cooking.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Our kindergartners develop an awareness of the world around them fostering citizenship.

KINDERGARTEN ENRICHMENT

ART

Your child will learn “what artists do.” Creativity is encouraged and natural inquisitiveness is promoted. Students learn to work using different tools and media with a variety of hands-on projects. They will create an art book illustrating some of the elements and principles of art focusing mainly on color.

CHARACTER EDUCATION

Our school wide character education program is introduced in kindergarten. The FISH philosophy is a character development program that Austin Catholic Schools reinforces in daily teachings and examples. The four philosophies encouraged are: Make Their Day; Be There; Choose Your Attitude; and Play. Your child will be encouraged to participate in the four principles of the FISH philosophy.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical education class begins with a prayer to remind us of all the good gifts we have been given. Goals for Kindergarten Physical Education focus on:

Motor Skills
Ball Skills
Music
Tumbling
Jump Rope
Small Activities
Games

COMPUTERS

The kindergartners gain computer knowledge both in the classroom and in the computer lab. Introduction to computer basics using a mouse and using computer games to enhance classroom learning.

FIELD TRIPS

The kindergarten curriculum is enhanced by various ﬁeld trips throughout the year.

CELEBRATIONS

Our students celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day with class parties. For Thanksgiving, they enjoy a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Some of the days we have had previously include Bat Day, Clifford Day, and Penguin Day.

LIBRARY

Introduction to library etiquette
Story predicting/questioning
Story structure
Learn book vocabulary: author, illustrator, title, copyright, etc.

SPANISH:

In lower elementary, students will learn to appreciate and enjoy the Spanish language. They will learn basic vocabulary like numbers, colors, days of the week, month of the year, animals, seasons, weather, etc. The emphasis, at this stage, will be on listening and speaking. As they progress, we will introduce some reading and writing. The students will learn through

many avenues like music, movement, and stories.

First Grade

First Grade students share their love for Jesus with classmates every day as they are learning about the many subject areas you see below. Your child will develop reading skills that will set the foundation for a lifetime of reading.

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION: Austin Catholic School ﬁrst graders will learn about creation, Trinity, Jesus, God’s Church, God’s love, and seasons of Church Year. In addition, our students have the opportunity to enhance their spiritual learning through weekly Mass participation and daily prayer.

• Weekly Mass – First Grade Students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.

READING: Your child will learn to read with understanding and critical thinking, to participate in guided reading, to read with expression, and learn about books through exposure to different authors and illustrators. Visual phonics, introduced in kindergarten, will be continued in ﬁrst grade. Our students are able to participate in ﬁnger usage to make letter sounds and the spelling of preparing words using visual phonic skills. The use of visual phonics to sound out new words, to aid in spelling difﬁculties, and to communicate a sound “silently” are developed. Language Arts skills are developed through the use of journaling using developmental spelling, VOWAC spelling, talking in a complete sentence, writing a complete sentence, using capital/small letters properly, using possessives and story/poetry writing.

MATH:

Our students will learn number skills, fractions, money, geometry and measurement, time and calendar, temperature, and linear measure.

SOCIAL STUDIES:

The following six themes are taught in ﬁrst grade:

Citizenship -Rules and laws guide people to live safely and be responsible citizens.
Places – People live in many different locations. Where people live affects the way they live.
Our Country – We learn about our country through its symbols, heroes, and holidays.
Change – In many ways, people today are the same as people who lived long ago. But the way people live has changed over time.
People – Although Americans may have come from different backgrounds, they share some beliefs.
Markets - People trade goods & services with each other. They make choices about how to spend their money.

SCIENCE: Life Science

Life cycles of plants
Life cycles of animals
Environments for living things/basic needs
Places to live

Earth Science

Earth
Natural resources
Weather, seasons, & the sky

Physical Science

Matter
Energy (heat, light, & sound)
Motion/magnets

LIBRARY:

Library etiquette
Story Structure/Story Predicting/questioning
Learn to self select appropriate books
Fiction vs. Non-ﬁction
Practice book vocabulary

Second Grade

Our goal in second grade is to help your child meet and excel in high levels of academic standards. Our second graders learn to be focused as they expand their knowledge base and increase their faith by preparing to receive two very important sacraments: the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of First Holy Communion.

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION: As a second grader, your child’s religious education will have special emphasis on sacrament preparation for Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. Second graders will study:

God’s gift to our world
How Jesus teaches us about God
How Jesus shares Himself with us
How Jesus lives in the Church
Jesus is Lord of all creation.

Weekly Mass – Second Grade Students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.
MATH: Second graders will gain skills in:

Numeration
Concepts of whole number operations
Whole number computation
Fractions and decimals
Money
Geometry and spatial relationships
Measurement
Data analysis and statistics
Probability
Algebra functions

LANGUAGE ARTS: Your child’s language arts skills will be enhanced by developing the following areas:

Phonics/decoding skills
Comprehension skills and strategies
Information and study skills
Spelling
Vocabulary
Grammar usage and mechanics
Writing process.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Second graders at Austin Catholic Schools have the enjoyment of participating in the Austin Junior Police Program. Your second grade student will study community and state governments, citizenship, maps and globe skills, Native American history, world cultures, and human/capital resources.

LIBRARY:

Library etiquette
Story Structure/Story Predicting/Questioning
Alphabetizing

SCIENCE: Life Science

• Human organisms

Earth Science

Flow of Matter
Interdependence of life

Physical Science

Motion
Space
Energy

Third Grade

What makes our third grade special? We work together as a team to build community within our classrooms and across the school. We learn to help those in need. We learn to be kind and help out as needed. We concentrate on working and playing in a Christ-like way.

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION: Your child’s religious education will be enhanced in the areas of creation, sacraments, Mary, Ten Commandments, the Body of Christ, the Holy Spirit, Lent, sacraments of service, and Resurrection

Weekly Mass – Third grade students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.
LANGUAGE ARTS: Our students will engage in the reading process and will understand, respond to, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate a wide variety of genre including ﬁction, nonﬁction, and poetry.

Use word recognition analysis and ﬂuency
Acquire, understand, and use new reading, speaking, and listening vocabularies through instruction and independent reading
Apply strategies for comprehending written material
Use of table of contents, glossary, guide words, dictionary, encyclopedia
Use of phonics, syllabication, word structure, and learning to spell independently
Speak clearly, accurately, and ﬂuently using appropriate delivery for a variety of purposes. Students will demonstrate appropriate listening behaviors in small and large group situations.
Write legibly in both print and cursive for various purposes and will use various forms of writing (journaling, letters, poetry, thank you notes, descriptive and narrative).

ACCELERATED READER

Personal reading selection at the appropriate reading level is the key to accelerated reader. The students take computer generated tests on the book read and receive points. The points translate into awards or certiﬁcates. The purpose is to instill a love of reading for enjoyment and understanding of what is read.

MATH: Third grade students will expand their knowledge and challenge themselves in the areas:

Numeration
Fractions
Decimals
Operations and computations
Patterns
Functions and algebra
Data
Geometry
Measurement and reference frames

SCIENCE: Austin Catholic Schools third graders will further their knowledge of plants, animals, matter, energy, machines, life, sound, the changing earth, planets, weather, the human body, and nutrition.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Your child will gain map and globe skills, study continents and oceans, living in the desert, forest or grasslands, Native Americans, Aztecs, government, Washington D. C., and ﬁre safety.

LIBRARY:

Library etiquette
Continue library skills
Structure/predicting/questioning
Story Structure/Story Predicting/Questioning
Alphabetizing

1st – 3rd Grade Enrichment

ART:

Elements and principles of art are taught at this level. Exploring and experimenting with various methods and materials is an important part of all art studies. They will learn to recognize and understand vocabulary and concepts. Students will learn about various artists and their styles, culture, and heritage. Cre

ative problem solving, creativity, and responsible use of tools is promoted and encouraged.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

Physical education always begins with a prayer to remind us of all the gifts we have been given and ask God to help the many less fortunate children. Goals for Grades 1, 2, 3, Physical education include:

To enjoy playing activities with classmates, to experience the feeling of success through practice and determination, and to be a good sport in winning or losing.
Develop an appreciation for ﬁtness. Warm ups include all motor skills, (ex., running and push ups, hand weights routine with running, etc.)
Ball Skills as they relate to team sports, partner practice. (ex., soccer various kicking skills – using lower baskets for lay up shooting).
Lead up games for many team sports, contests using skills and competition.
1st - 3rd graders will also learn tumbling mat skills, balance beam and ﬁtness challenges.
Rhythms – dancing skills (ex., polka, step aerobatics)

VOWAC: (Grades K- 2nd)

The goal of VoWac is to give children tools to sound out words and spell correctly. In each session, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities are used to include various learning types. Each letter sound is written and read by itself. Later these sounds are blended to form syllables and then words. Various elements of language are taught. These include consonants, vowels, diagraphs, blends, and diphthongs. Students learn to put sounds together for words, syllable types, root words, and afﬁxes. Children learn about the rules that make the English language. They also learn the words that follow no rules. This knowledge carries over to reading and spelling and writing. Visual Phonics is used daily in connection with VoWac. Students’ hands become a daily tool for learning. This program addresses language in a structured, sequential, and cumulative pattern.

SPANISH:

COMPUTER:

1st - 3rd graders get a general introduction to computer basics using mouse and computer games to enhance classroom learning. Your child will learn typing skills and computer etiquette.

MUSIC

Music classes meet twice a week for a total of 60 minutes. Lessons are based on the Kodaly method. This method mainly centers on the use of concepts as building blocks for one another. Activities include singing folk songs, studying and listening to different compositions by a wide range of composers, movement to music, instrument playing, vocal explorations, etc. Students are involved in a Christmas and spring show every year.

MATCHBOX CHILDREN’S THEATRE – Each year, our children in grades K-3 attend three special student performances by the Matchbox Children’s Theatre during their school day. These performanc

es are always fun and full of energy. The children enjoy these opportunities to experience the “performing arts.”

CHARACTER EDUCATION – Austin Catholic Schools utilizes the FISH! Philosophy which is a motivational, character-building program that encourages children to participate in four areas of character development: Be There! – Choose Your Attitude!

– Play! – Make Their Day!

STUDENT OF THE MONTH – A child is nominated each month by teachers to become the student of the month. This is a student who best demonstrates the characteristics of our FISH Philosophy.

KIDSTIME AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

– Kidstime is a child-care program designed to provide quality after-school care for elementary school-aged children attending Austin Catholic Elementary School. For the students, Kidstime is a time to form friendships, have fun, relax, and discover hobbies, all in a safe and supervised school environment.

Austin Catholic Elementary

Fourth – Sixth Grade

Fourth through sixth grade students are taught by a team of teachers dedicated to their specialty ﬁelds. Each subject builds on the previous year to help the students gain mastery of the subject matter. A variety of methods of instruction are used to enhance the learning experience.

TEACHING TEAM

FOURTH GRADE

Deborah Cook

FIFTH GRADE

Marnie Leif

SIXTH GRADE

Donna Lemar

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Helen Jahr

MATH

Billie Jo Wicks Donna Lemar Pam Harkrader Marnie Leif Linda Pulchinski Deborah Cook Donna Lemar Linda Pulchinski

SCIENCE

Donna Lemar

LIBRARY

Linda Pulchinski

HISTORY

Marnie Leif

LANGUAGE ARTS

Deborah Cook

ART

Kimber Finnegan

READING

Marnie Leif Linda Pulchinski Deborah Cook

SPANISH

Hiedy Morey

MUSIC

Marissa Brengman

COMPUTER

Billie Jo Wicks

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION:

Church History
Community Service Projects
Weekly Liturgies
Reconciliation
Prayers
Venture Magazine Venture is a weekly gospel series utilized in fourth grade. This series is built upon the foundations of the Sunday Gospels. Along with the liturgical year, Venture covers six main areas of doctrinal content: Bible, Catholic social teaching, professions of faith, celebration of Christian mystery, Christian living, and Christian prayer.
Weekly Mass – Fourth grade students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.

SCIENCE

• Hands-on investigations introduce each new lesson

Life Science

• Looking at Ecosystems

Earth Science

• Earth’s Surface

Physical Science

• Forces and Motion

COMPUTER:

Computer courtesy and etiquette
Computer components and basic knowledge
Computer vocabulary
Keyboarding skills (10 wpm)
Word Processing Basics
Resizing and formatting of objects
Online safety
Using the Internet to search for subjects
Finding Websites of the Week (WOW)
Navigating through websites to obtain information
Setting backgrounds
Paint basic

HISTORY:

Fourth grade students will learn about:

United States Geography
United States Government
United States Economy
Neighboring Countries
Location of the 50 states and their capitals
State research project
Skills in geography are enhanced by the use of Desk Top Maps
Explore current events using the Time for Kids news magazine

LANGUAGE ARTS:

Understanding Nouns
Understanding Adjectives
Understanding Pronouns
Understanding Verbs
Understanding Adverbs
Sharpening Study Skills
Writing Better Sentences
Improving Speaking and Listening Skills
Learning to Think Clearly

Grammar Rules

o Capitalization
o Period
o Comma Usage
o Single Quotation Marks
o Double Quotation Marks
o Apostrophe
o Colon
o Semicolon
o Underlining
o Hyphen
o Dash
o Outlining

6 + 1 Writing Traits

o Narrative Writing
o Descriptive Writing
o Writing to Tell How
o Writing to Explain an Opinion
o Writing a Report
o Poetry
o Letters

READING:

Scholastic’s Literacy Place is a 4th grade reading program that offers systematic development and literature skills. Appropriate unit themes help students build the literacy skills they will need for lifelong learning. The program focuses on four key points:

teach decoding to develop literacy skill and reading ﬂuency
build strong vocabulary and comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading to ensure mastery
model writing through reading to strengthen writing skills and improve comprehension
assess and evaluate to monitor children’s compre

hension and help to modify instruction.

Literacy Place is divided into six theme-based strands. Fourth graders will further develop their reading skills by applying and practicing them in the following sourcebooks:

Chapter by Chapter
What an Idea!
Discovery Teams
The Funny Side
Nature Guides

MATH: 5/4 Saxon Math Scope and Sequence

Numbers and Operations
Measurement
Geometry
Algebra
Statistics, Data, Analysis, and Probability
Problem-Solving Strategies
Mathematical Reasoning
Real-World Connections
Communication
Manipulatives
Technology

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION

The religion curriculum is centered on the Venture magazine. Venture is a weekly gospel series utilized in ﬁfth grade. This series is built upon the foundations of the Sunday gospels. Along with the liturgical year, the Venture magazine covers six main areas of doctrinal content: the Bible, Catholic teaching, our profession of faith, celebration of Christian mystery, Christian living, and Christian prayer. The ﬁfth grade religion classes will also incorporate the following:

Prayers
The Seven Sacraments
The Ten Commandments
The Rosary
Bible research
Weekly Mass – Fifth grade students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the liturgy of the Mass as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various Masses.

SCIENCE

• Hands on investigations introduce each new lesson

Earth Science:

The Solar System and Beyond
Processes that Change the Earth

Life Science:

• Processes of Living Things

Physical Science:

• Building Blocks of Matter

COMPUTER

Expand upon all concepts from 4th grade
Keyboarding skills (15 wpm)
Word Processing Intermediate Skills
Intro to PowerPoint
Intro to Excel

HISTORY

Our Nation’s Geography
Native Americans
The Age of Exploration
The First Colonies
13 Colonies Research Project
The Revolutionary War
The Constitution
The Civil War
Skills in geography are enhanced by the use of Desk Top Maps
Explore current events using the Time for Kids news magazine

LANGUAGE ARTS:

Using Nouns
Adjectives for Strong Description
Using Pronouns
Verbs for Sentence Power
Adverbs for Exact Meaning
Study and Test Taking skills
Increasing Sentence Power
Improving Speaking and Listening Skills
Thinking Clearly

Grammar Rules

o Capitalization
o Period
o Comma Usage
o Single Quotation Marks
o Double Quotation Marks
o Apostrophe
o Colon
o Semicolon
o Underlining
o Hyphen
o Dash
o Outlining

6 + 1 Writing Traits

o Narrative Writing

o Descriptive Writing
o Writing to Tell How
o Writing to Explain an Opinion
o Writing a Report
o Poetry
o Letters

Reading: Scholastic’s Literacy Place is a 5th grade reading program that offers systematic development and literature skills. Appropriate unit themes help students build the literacy skills they will need for lifelong learning. The program focuses on four key points:

teach decoding to develop literacy skill and reading ﬂuency
build strong vocabulary and comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading to ensure mastery
model writing through reading to strengthen writing skills and improve comprehension
assess and evaluate to monitor children’s comprehension and help to modify instruction. Literacy Place is divided into six theme-based strands. Fifth graders will further develop their reading skills by applying and practicing them in the following sourcebooks:
Making a Difference
It’s a Mystery
Voyagers
In the Spotlight
America’s Journal
Cityscapes

MATH

6/5 Saxon Math Scope and Sequence

Numbers and Operations
Measurement
Geometry
Algebra
Statistics, Data, Analysis, and Probability
Problem-Solving Strategies
Mathematical Reasoning
Real-World Connections
Communication
Manipulatives
Technology

Curriculum Highlights:

RELIGION:

Sixth grade uses the Sadlier text titled We Believe. Each chapter’s unique teaching of faith is modeled in each lesson under three headings: We Gather; We Believe; We Respond. Woven into these three headings are four faith statements which guide reading and discussion. Seven major themes of Catholic social teaching, the catechism of the Catholic Church, Scripture and Rites of the Catholic Church, saints and Catholic proﬁles, feasts, devotions, prayers and practices are incorporated into each unit. There is also the opportunity for students to share what has been learned with their families by sharing the “Family Page” at the conclusion of each chapter.

POWER and FISH are two components of the sixth grade curriculum. POWER – Prayer and Outreach WherEver Required puts sixth graders in charge of various community service projects for the entire Austin Catholic Elementary School. At least one Friday a month is set aside during religion time to discuss opportunities to live out their faith by reaching out to others. FISH is a character building program which is also given at least one day a month to discuss and, through activities, respond to the four principles of the program: BE THERE, CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE, PLAY, and MAKE THEIR DAY. They then become part of their daily school lives.
Weekly Mass – 6th grade students will attend weekly Mass. All students are given opportunities to participate in the Liturgy of the Word as each grade takes responsibility for planning the various masses.

SCIENCE

Hands-on investigations introduce each new lesson

Life Science:

• Living Things Grow and Respond

Physical Science

• Matter and Energy

• Forces and Machines

COMPUTER:

Expand upon concepts from 4th and 5th grades
Keyboarding skills (20 wpm)
Word Processing Advanced Skills
PowerPoint Intermediate Skills
Excel Intermediate Skill

HISTORY:

The World’s Early People
Early Farmers and City Dwellers
Civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush
Ancient Hebrews
Ancient Greeks
Early Civilizations of India and China
The Roman Empire
Trade Book: Mummies Made in Egypt
Minnesota History
Use Desk Top Maps to explore map and globe skills
Keep up on current events with the weekly Time for Kids news magazine

LANGUAGE ARTS:

Nouns for Precise Meaning
Adjectives for Creative Expression
Understanding Pronouns
Verbs for Writing Power
Adverbs for Clear Description
Study and Test Taking Skills
Revising and Combining Sentences
Sharpening Speaking and Listening Skills
Clear Thinking

Grammar Rules

o Capitalization
o Period
o Comma Usage
o Single Quotation Marks
o Double Quotation Marks
o Apostrophe
o Colon
o Semicolon
o Underlining
o Hyphen
o Dash
o Outlining

6 + 1 Writing Traits

o Narrative Writing
o Descriptive Writing
o Writing to Tell How
o Writing to Explain an Opinion
o Writing a Report
o Poetry
o Letters

READING

Scholastic’s Literacy Place is a 6th grade reading program that offers systematic development and literature skills. Appropriate unit themes help students build the literacy skills they will need for lifelong learning. The program focuses on four key points:

teach decoding to develop literacy skill and reading ﬂuency
build strong vocabulary and comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading to ensure mastery
model writing through reading to strengthen writing skills and improve comprehension

assess and evaluate to monitor children’s comprehension and help to modify instruction.
Literacy Place is divided into six theme-based strands. Sixth graders will further develop their reading skills by applying and practicing them in the following sourcebooks:

Worlds of Wonder
In the News
Voices for Democracy

Self-Portraits
Meet the Challenge
Open for Business

MATH

Course 1 Math – Instructional math concepts including:

Numbers and operations
Algebra
Geometry
Measurement
Data analysis and probability

Problem solving
6/5 Saxon Math Scope and Sequence

Numbers and Operations
Measurement
Geometry
Algebra
Statistics, Data, Analysis, and Probability
Problem-Solving Strategies
Mathematical Reasoning
Real-World Connections
Communication
Manipulatives

ACCELERATED READER:

This is an incentive program that; beginning with the 4, 5, 6 grades, awards points achieved by reading books. There are point clubs that have speciﬁc values to be met. Awards are given on the points accumulated. Families can help by reading with their students each night and asking questions about the books to help with the comprehension needed for total points on the tests.

ART:

In upper elementary, students will learn to coordinate their hands and minds using different media, technique, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories in their art work. Students will form their compositions using the elements and principles of art. They will select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning. They will look at the art of others, respond to it and evaluate it, also review and modify their own work.

BAND AND ORCHESTRA

Band and orchestra is a musical option offered to 5th and 6th graders through the Austin Public Schools. After selecting an instrument to play, students attend group practice and lessons one or two times a week. They use their talents to perform at least 2 concerts during the school year

BIRDING FESTIVAL

Each spring, the ﬁfth grade goes to the Hormel Nature Center for a bird watching and pond study ﬁeld trip. This is the culmination of many months of work on Art and Language Arts projects about birds in Minnesota. Each student chooses a bird, draws a picture of that bird, and completes a research project about the bird. These projects are then submitted to the Oak Savanna Birding Festival and judged for quality. The ﬁeld trip concentrates on why birds are here or not here in Minnesota at certain times of the year. Students discuss adaptations, learn bird calls, and practice bird behaviors. The ﬁfth graders also use binoculars to identify many species of birds at the nature center in a fun-ﬁlled half day experience

– Play! – Make Their Day!

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Students in grades 4-6 are involved in various service projects throughout the year such as:

Cards to Troops
Boxtops for Education
Baptism cards for churches
Food collection
Youth Link
Pennies for Patients
UNICEF
Jean Day Proceeds to service organizations
Feed My Starving Children - The 6th grade travels to Chanhassen, Minnesota in the spring to volunteer their time to pack meals for “Feed My Starving Children.” The meals consist of rice, soy, vitamins, and dehydrated vegetables in measured amounts, sealed in poly bags. The students pack the poly bags, seal them, and box the bags for shipment. The program then distributes the meals worldwide where needed. Before the students learn how to pack the meals, they learn about just a few of the needy children whose lives have been saved by the program. The sixth graders also get a chance to sample a taste of the meals. This proves to be an extremely moving experience for those who attend.

CRITTER COUNTRY

The Science room has several reptiles, amphibians, and ﬁsh which we care for and observe. Students take the responsibility of feeding the critters and cleaning their habitats. Any ﬁfth or sixth grader willing to take on the job gets a turn for one week to do all that is needed to care for that critter. To learn more about the critters’ antics, log on to Mrs. Lemar’s website at http://www.schoolnotes.com/55912/dlemar.html.

GEOGRAPHY BEE

Students in grades 4-8 participate in a Geography Bee that is sponsored by the National Geographic Society. It is designed to encourage the teaching and learning of geography.

HOMEWORK CLUB

Homework Club is offered 4 times a week to students in grades 4-6. It provides an opportunity for the students to work on homework in a quiet environment with teachers available to answer questions in all subject areas. Homework club lasts until 3:30 and is supervised by the 4-6 team of teachers.

LIBRARY:

Skills in grades 4-6 are:

Fiction versus nonﬁction
Card catalog
Reference materials such as encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, thesaurus, etc.
Dewey Decimal Classiﬁcation
Genres of literature such as historical ﬁction, poetry, biography, realistic ﬁction, etc. These skills are introduced in grade 4, practiced in grade 5, and reinforced in grade 6.

MATH MASTERS

Math Masters is a mathematics challenge competition for 5th and 6th graders. Competition teams are chosen with the purpose of challenging the students to use higher level thinking skills and problem solving strategies. The students compete as individuals and in teams.

MUSIC

Music classes meet twice a week for a total of 80 minutes. Lessons continue to build on concepts learned in previous years, while still adding more concepts.

Classes at this level also start to look more in depth into compositions and the lives of the composers. Conscientious listening, analysis, and music history are investigated more thoroughly. Students are also involved in a Christmas and spring show every year.

Clover Choir

All students 4-6 grade are invited to participate in the Clover Choir. Clover Choir is an extra-curricular choir which meets after school once a week for 45 minutes. This choir performs at Christmas and in the spring concert. There are other performance possibilities throughout the year as well.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

During physical education class, your child will understand the importance of physical ﬁtness while learning the rules and etiquette of various sports and games. We emphasize sportsmanlike conduct in all of our activities. It is our objective to promote a positive learning environment while in competitive situations guiding our students to be Christian in their attitudes both in and out of the gym.

SCIENCE FAIR

Fourth through sixth graders are required to create a science fair type project. Each student will present the project to the class and those interested students will have their projects judged on a competitive basis for the regional science fair. All projects will be graded on use of the scientiﬁc method and presentation.

SPANISH:

Communication is the primary goal in Spanish class, so a special emphasis will be placed on listening and speaking. As the students progress in their knowledge, more writing and reading will occur, especially in grades 4-6. In grades 4-6, you can expect your child to learn to:

Listen to and comprehend basic conversational Spanish.
Speak with simple words and phrases with communication.
Read short stories and other simple texts.
Write vocabulary words and some beginning sentence structure.
Say the Lord’s Prayer and read Bible verses in Spanish.
Understand some of the culture behind the Spanish language.
Identify basic vocabulary like: colors, numbers to 100, clothing, family members, days of the week,

months of the year, weather, time, Spanish-speaking countries, and more.

SPELLING BEE

Students in grades 5-8 compete for a chance to go to the regional spelling bee in Rochester, Minnesota. Students may potentially go on to Nationals in Washington.

STUDENT OF THE MONTH – A child is nominated each month by teachers to become the student of the month. This is a student who best demonstrates the characteristics of our FISH Philosophy

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

The Young Authors, Young Artists Conference is held at the Rochester Community and Technical College in May. This enrichment opportunity exposes students to new language arts and artistic techniques. Published authors and illustrators aide students in discovering hidden talents or assist in enhancing emerging artists and illustrators. The Young Authors, Young Artists Conference builds self conﬁdence for individuals to unlock an entirely new world.

FIRST AID TRAINING

Sixth grade students undergo a week-long instructional seminar on First Aid. This enrichment activity exposes children to ﬁrst aid basics that can be used in the event of an emergency.