Curriculum Talking Points

For the Week ending 9/23/10

Kindergarten:

• LANGUAGE ARTS: The class read The Kissing Hand, and was introduced to basic plot sequencing. Students did a “This is How I Felt the First Week” project, discussing how they felt about starting the new school year. Students did September self-portraits, and read Chrysanthemum, talking about names, how they are special, and what they mean to us. The class enjoyed several read-alouds about getting along and building community.

• MATH: The class did explorations with Unifix Cubes, Pattern Blocks, Broad Stairs, and Tower Cubes, learning about basic one-to-one correspondence. Students built and graphed name towers in conjunction with reading Chrysanthemum.

• SOCIAL STUDIES: Students created and discussed class rules, and did read-alouds about manners and politeness. The class also discussed and learned about how to set a lunch table and use proper manners during lunch and snack.

• ART: Students created watercolor paintings using only primary colors.

• LIBRARY: Students learned how to take care of a book when they bring it home, and how to remember to return it after one week.

• MUSIC: The class continued learning about musical form by observing that “All the Pretty Little Horses” is made up of four phrases. Students explored swing rhythm in a new non-pitched chant, and began to learn a 14th century carol in Dorian mode.

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Students played different games to learn listening skills, how to follow directions, and how to play in groups.

• RELIGION: (Note: this refers to the elective religious education that is provided upon request to Catholic families.) Students heard the Creation story and learned that all God’s creation is good.

• SCIENCE: The class continued its study of living and non-living things. Students differentiated between the origins of non-living objects that were once alive, like a piece of wood, versus non-living objects like a shell, which were never alive.

• YOGA: Students were introduced to the sound of om and the yoga sitting position. The class learned a sequence of yoga postures before concluding with a guided relaxation and yoga poem.

 

Lower Level:

• LANGUAGE ARTS: In spelling work, students looked at patterns in words and words that rhyme. In writing work, they did journal writing and learned how to write a list. In reading, first graders learned about the setting of a story and the parts of a book, while second graders identified the elements of a story (character, setting, problem, and solution).

• MATH: First graders practiced counting up to 20 and played the game “Start With-Get To.” They practiced working with calendars, and were introduced to the Mystery Box, learning to recorded their answers with what they found in the box. Second graders learned about the difference between an analog clock and a digital clock. They played the game “Guess My Number On the Number Line,” and worked with different shapes using pattern blocks.

• SOCIAL STUDIES: Many students created a class community with what they thought a community looks like and what they would want their community to look like. The class created class rules that fit the mission of the school.

• ART: Students drew self-portraits and profile self-portraits.

• LIBRARY: Students learned how to use the computer catalog, particularly how to read the records and understand where a book is located.

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION: The class practiced listening skills, body awareness and sportsmanship by playing a variety of games. Students reviewed the rules and structure of class, learning what will be expected of them this year.

• RELIGION: (Note: this refers to the elective religious education that is provided upon request to Catholic families.) First graders talked about the different kinds of communities to which we belong and learned that our church community is one of Jesus’ flocks. Second graders learned that Jesus loves us and calls us to be his, even though we’re not perfect. They heard the story of Jesus calling Levi, the tax collector.

• SCIENCE: Students continued their study of timelines by creating timelines of their lives. These timelines incorporated the phrase “years ago” so that students are prepared to make their dinosaur timelines, which will also incorporate that phrase. Students also reviewed what MYA stands for (millions of years ago).

• SPANISH: In addition to being introduced to the Spanish alphabet, students engaged in communicative greeting and farewell activities.

• YOGA: Students were introduced to the sound of om and the yoga sitting position. The class learned a sequence of yoga postures before concluding with a guided relaxation and yoga poem.

 

Middle Level:

• LANGUAGE ARTS: The class continued selecting “just right” books as teachers continued reading assessments with each student. Students worked on their writer’s notebooks, creating wonderful pieces of writing.

• MATH: Third graders continued their study of place value and applied it to a review of addition and subtraction. Students practiced adding and subtracting by tens, and explored the foundational concepts behind the number line. Fourth graders reviewed arrays by presenting 11x17 pages of different numbers of arrays. (For example: 24 and 48, 17 and 34, etc.) Students practiced their multiplication math facts using array cards and played the “Close To A Hundred” multiplication game.

• ART: In addition to putting the finishing touches on their footprint traces, the class talked about the nature of surrealist art, learning that surrealist artists such as Miro set up challenges to make unique artwork. Students then used eyedroppers to drip ink onto paper, creating their own drawings by manipulating the ink drips with sticks.

• LATIN: Fourth graders continued their discussion on the Romans, the evolution of the romance languages from Latin, and why English has so many words derived from Latin. Students worked on the vocabulary in unit one and words with the roots circ and cycl, which derive, respectively, from circum (around) and kuklos (wheel).

• LIBRARY: Students learned how to use the computer catalog, particularly how to read the records and understand where a book is located.

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Students continued their soccer unit, focusing on offensive strategies, positioning, and using both the inside and outside of their feet to direct the ball. Students learned the proper technique for heading the ball, combining headers with abdominal sit-ups in a unique exercise. In fitness work, students rose to the challenge of Caedmon’s new pull-up bar, a great way to improve upper-body strength.

• RELIGION: (Note: this refers to the elective religious education that is provided upon request to Catholic families.) The class discussed goals for the year. Students talked about God working in our lives in ways that appear “ordinary.”

• SCIENCE: Students began studying the various plant and animal species in the native fish aquarium in the science room. Currently, the aquarium is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, channel catfish, freshwater mussels, and two types of plants––elodea and false loosestrife. Students were asked to use the Internet to research one of the species in the tank and create a poster using Microsoft Power Point. The posters are based on the graphics one would see when visiting a zoo or aquarium.

• SPANISH: Third graders reviewed the Spanish alphabet and engaged in more communicative greeting and farewell activities. Fourth graders reviewed the Spanish alphabet and were introduced to useful Spanish classroom expressions.

• YOGA: Third graders reviewed mountain and tree postures for concentration and focus. Students learned the first part of the sun salute, and worked on holding their downward for ten counts to build up strength and stamina.

Upper Level:

• LANGUAGE ARTS: The class finished writing about their goals for fifth grade. Students reviewed what makes a good paragraph, using teachers’ goals as models, and then revised and edited their drafts to arrive at a final piece. The class did its first read-aloud, The Little Prince, simply for the enjoyment of it, and then began reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

• MATH: The class continued studying the qualities of numbers, including primes, factors, and multiples. Then, working independently and with partners, students used a series of clues to solve various number puzzles. Students were required to demonstrate their strategies for finding the solutions.

• SOCIAL STUDIES: The class continued its study of timelines, learning the importance of the terms B.C./B.C.E. and A.D./C.E to prepare them for their upcoming units.

• ART: In addition to finishing their footprint traces, students talked about what a time line is, and what a timeline for art would look like. The class considered the question, how long ago did man begin making art, and why? To support the idea of recording events students began creating their own personal timelines of the important events in their young lives.

• LATIN: The class reviewed the English vocabulary in unit one and two Latin roots. Students reinforced the vocabulary by composing their own sentences with the new words. The class took a quiz on Wednesday, after which they began a new unit devoted to “hearing” words and the roots audi and phon.

• LIBRARY: Students reviewed how to use the computer catalog, particularly how to read the records and understand where a book is located.

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Students continued their soccer unit, focusing on offensive strategies, positioning, and using both the inside and outside of their feet to direct the ball. Students learned the proper technique for heading the ball, combining headers with abdominal sit-ups in a unique exercise. In fitness work, students rose to the challenge of Caedmon’s new pull-up bar, a great way to improve upper-body strength.

• RELIGION: (Note: this refers to the elective religious education that is provided upon request to Catholic families.) The class discussed goals for the year. Students talked about God working in our lives in ways that appear “ordinary.”

• SCIENCE: The class prepared for the Caedmon Water Walk, a fund-raiser for the organization Kiva, where students will walk one mile while carrying about a gallon of water each. Part of a unit on water quality, the walk will raise awareness about global water issues, and students worked on various aspects of the project such as researching global water issues, researching Kiva, making thank you cards, and planning their route.

• SPANISH: Students reviewed the Spanish alphabet and were introduced to useful Spanish classroom expressions.