Elementary Curriculum

• Elementary Curriculum
  Religion/Family Life:  Daily school wide prayer, monthly Masses, Advent/Lenten reconciliation, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Call To Faith Religion series, sacramental preparation (grade 2), annual retreats, Christian Service Projects.

  Language Arts:  Vocabulary development, comprehension, written response to literature, and discussion through the Reading Street Scott Foresman series and selected core literature books, Houghton Mifflin English series, and COMPASS Language Assessment program. The students use of the Language computer lab to reinforce writing skills and higher level thinking skills.

  Spelling:  Zaner Bloser phonetic spelling program which includes dictionary work, synonyms, antonyms, prefixes and suffixes; and word origins.

  Handwriting:  Zaner-Bloser printing and cursive handwriting instruction (grades K-5)

  Math:  The Math curriculum includes a sequenced set of standards.

  • Number Relationships and Computation—Numbers and computation are the heart of elementary mathematics. Children develop conceptual understanding, procedural proficiency, and fluency with numbers.

• Whole number and computation with whole numbers

• Recall of math facts including multiplication table facts

• Standard algorithms (+, x, -, / ) for computation of whole numbers

• Fractions, decimals, and computation with fractions and decimals

• Algebra, Patterns, and Functions—Students generalize the patterns of numbers and computation using symbols to prepare for algebra and abstract mathematics after elementary school.

• Geometry—Students learn about the properties and relationships of points, lines, angles, surfaces, and solids. They develop skills and concepts in shape and spatial relationships.

• Measurement—Students select appropriate measurement units, tools, and strategies, and use them to measure.
• Measurement and geometry provide many connections to real world applications.

• Statistics—Students learn how to collect, organize, describe and analyze data, all important skills in our data-rich world.

• Probability—Students explore the likelihood of events through simple experiments.

• Processes of Mathematics—Students develop skills in problem solving, reasoning, communicating, and making connections.

Scott Foresman series  (grades K-2)  and McMillan McGraw Hill series (grades 3-5);

Science:  Students explore their world to discover God’s gifts of life and beauty.  Through the use of higher level thinking students learn to use the Scientific Method to investigate a problem, isolate variables and experiment to gather data and analyze the outcomes to reach an intelligent conclusion. The MaGraw-Hill Science Louisiana series is used.
Social Studies:  The social studies program for Grades K-5  involves the study of peoples and their relationships with their social and physical environments. The knowledge, skills, and values developed in social studies help students to know and appreciate the past, to understand the present and to influence the future.  The social studies curriculum focuses on providing students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills and values to function effectively within their local and national society which in turn will affect the interdependent world.

Physical Education:  Basic skills, rules, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Technology:  Skill instruction in computer basics; the Internet; keyboarding ; word processing, spreadsheets, digital presentations, database, desktop publishing,  internet safety education; and integration of technology in curricular subject areas.

Fine Arts:  Art has always been at the center of great cultures as a natural part of human experience and learning.  St. Mary’s Academy art program seeks to instill in students a significant insight in the visual arts.  The program adheres to the belief that students can find pleasure and fulfillment both as a maker and a perceiver of art.  To achieve this, all students must know that art is created and must be able to:

• inquire into the relationships among art, history, and cultures

• investigate the origins and traditions of art

• inquire about the nature and functions of the art world and art institutions

• engage in philosophical inquiry about the connections between art and human experiences

• use works of art to reflect on personal beliefs and consider cultural values and human needs

• create works of art with a sense of purpose and a continually improving technical skill.

Music:  Weekly music instruction focuses on every person’s gift to perform, to create, and to listen to music with understanding.  Students are guided to acquire an understanding of music through the sequenced development of concepts based on the elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre form, expression, and history and style, and composition and performance.