Cirriculum Guide: PK3-5th Grades

curriculum guide pk3–5th grades

Inspiring a lifelong love of learning and giving.

Our school is a place where the students learn from each other, from their environment, and through educational experiences —it is a place where childhood dreams exist.

BMCS Bradley Site

247 N. Center Ave. Bradley, IL 60915 815-933-8013

BMCS Bourbonnais Site

324 E. Marsile St. Bourbonnais, IL 60914 815-933-7758

Bishop McNamara

Catholic School is a vibrant, warm and welcoming community centered upon the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Our dedicated teachers prepare your child to grow to his/her greatest potential, both spiritually and academically. It is our ministry to help students recognize, foster, and exhibit their role in carrying out our Catholic values and traditions.

Bishop McNamara

Catholic School provides an exceptional learning environment that develops critical thinking skills through a variety of learning opportunities. The strong community, high academic standards, and celebration of the Catholic faith are the reasons parents choose Bishop McNamara

Catholic School as a wise investment for their child.

FAST FACTS

BMCS Bourbonnais

School Hours

PK3

Full Day: 7:45am - 2:45pm

Half Day: 7:45am- 11:15am

PK4 - 5th Grade

7:45am - 2:45pm

BMCS Bradley School Hours

PK3

Full Day: 8:10am - 3:00pm

Half Day: 8:10am - 11:30am

PK4-5th Grade 8:10am - 3:00pm

Hot Lunch/ Daily Snack

There is a hot lunch program available to all students. Orders are placed every two weeks and paid for through our FACTS Family Portal. Students may bring in a daily snack as indicated by classroom teacher.

Uniforms

Students in grades K-5th wear uniforms that vary by gender and season. School uniforms are purchased through Lands End Uniform Shop.

Extended Day

The Extended Day program is available to all families on days we are in session. Extended Day services are available before school beginning at 6:30 am and after school until 5:30 pm. On days where we have an early dismissal, Extended Day begins at the time of dismissal.

Parent Ambassadors

Parent volunteers are welcome! All parent ambassadors/volunteers are required to complete a VIRTUS/Protecting God’s Children course before volunteering in the school. Upon completion you may volunteer in your child’s classroom or at any school sponsored event.

pre-kindergarten 3

Philosophy

The 3-year-old Pre-Kindergarten program promotes exploration within both a structured and nurturing learning environment. Our child-centered program promotes and supports inquiry and exploration, as well as social-emotional development. Children are met where they are in their development, and they develop intellectual curiosity as they unfold their God-given gifts.

admission Requirements

In order to enroll in our 3-year old Preschool program, your child must be:

• 3 years old by September 1

• fully potty trained

Daily Curriculum Includes

• count, compare, read, and write numbers to 10

• develop self-care skills (getting dressed, putting shoes on, and washing hands)

• correctly begin to print his/her name

• develop independence and social skills through play and structured classroom activities

• recognize basic colors and shapes

• exhibit Christian behavior by helping and caring for others

• engage in active play using gross motor skills (jumping, throwing, climbing)

weekly educational experiences

• Music Class

• PE Class

• Art Class

• Visit to School Library

pre-kindergarten 4

Philosophy

The 4-year-old Pre-Kindergarten program allows children to engage their hearts and minds in their learning every day. The program is designed to meet the developmental needs of children through purposeful play and inquiry-based exploration. Students in our 4-year-old program begin working on age appropriate academics that will prepare them for Kindergarten.

admission Requirements

In order to enroll in our 4-year old Preschool program, your child must be:

• 4 years old by September 1

• fully potty trained

Daily Curriculum Includes

• count, compare, read, and write numbers to 20

• sort objects by traits like color, shape, and size

• religion (daily prayer, Bible stories, crafts and prayer experiences)

• recognize number, letters and colors

• name uppercase and lowercase letters

• fine motor skills through classroom activities

• work independently

• develop skills for problem solving and decision making through social experiences

• exhibit Christian behavior by helping and caring for others

weekly educational experiences

• Music Class

• PE Class

• Art Class

• Technology Class

• Journal Writing

• Visit to School Library

• Prayer Buddies at Mass

kindergarten

Religion

Students learn through stories, activities, prayer, and reflection about the Catholic faith and how we can be better followers of Jesus.

Mathematics

Develop beginning math skills through the use of hands-on experiences, problem solving and application.

• compare numbers

• understand addition and subtraction

• identify and describe shapes

• analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes

Reading / Language Arts

Instruction is adapted to sequential and comprehensive, and is adapted to meet individual di erences.

• phonemic awareness

• sight words

• grammar

• spelling

• vocabulary

• peer questioning and discussion

• exposure to writing

• listening skills

• reading fluency

• public speaking

• poetry

• partner discussions

Science

Students learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• trial and error experiments

• study of plants and animals and how they adapt to their environment

• weather patterns

• forces and interaction

• speed

• light and sound

Social Studies

Students will focus on the study of society and the relationship of individual members within a community.

weekly educational experiences

• Music Class

• PE Class

• Art Class

• Technology Class

• Journal Writing

• Math / Reading RTI

• Visit to School Library

• Prayer Buddies at Mass

1st grade

Religion

Students learn through stories, activities, prayer, and reflection about the Catholic faith and how we can be better followers of Jesus.

• attending weekly mass

• celebrating liturgical holidays

• working with prayer buddies

• service projects for our community

Mathematics

Highlights include adding and subtracting numbers up to 30, solve basic word problems with the help of drawings, objects, and equations.

• developing understanding of addition, subtraction, and strategies for addition and subtraction

• developing an understanding of whole number relationships and place value, including grouping in tens and ones

• understanding of linear measurement and measuring lengths as iterating length units

• reasoning about attributes of, and composing and decomposing geometric shapes.

• tell and write time

• mathematical vocabulary

weekly educational experiences

• Music Class

• PE Class

• Art Class

• STEM Lab

• Technology Class

• Math / Reading RTI

• Visit to School Library

• Prayer Buddies at Mass

Reading / Language Arts

Instruction is adapted to sequential and comprehensive, and is adapted to meet individual di erences.

• recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence and grammar rules

• apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

• read with su cient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

• build vocabulary

• writing for a variety of purposes and audiences

• guidelines for being a good listener

Science

Students learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• trial and error experiments

• life cycle of plants and animals

• patterns of sun, moon and the stars

• sound and vibration

• uses of light and sound in communication

Social Studies

Students will focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society. The students focus on

• awareness of local & world communities

• relationships among communities

• meeting needs through goods and services

2nd grade

Religion

Know and understand the basic teachings of the Catholic Church. Understanding of Gospel readings, discuss Bible stories, and begin to develop devotion to Mary and to the saints in their personal prayer life. Students prepare for the sacraments of reconciliation of first communion.

Mathematics

Develop the mental habits of precise, inquiry, and reasoning. Students continue with more sophisticated approaches to addition and subtraction and begin understanding the patterns leading to multiplication.

• extending understanding of base –ten notation

• building fluency with addition and subtraction

• using standard units of measure

• describing and analyzing shapes

• work with time and money

• mathematical vocabulary

Social Studies

Students will focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society. The students will focus on

• rules and responsibilities to help promote order and safety

• community projects

• learning important symbols, events, and people in history

• learn about wants versus needs

• introduction to basic geography and the use of maps and globes.

Reading / Language Arts

Gain more skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Continue to build an understanding of the connection between sounds, letters, and words. Enhance skills in using word roots to help figure out the meaning of new words.

• decode words for better reading fluency

• recognize and read gradeappropriate sight words using norm-referenced assessment lists

• read with su cient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

• emphasis on using convention of the English Language

• narrative, opinion/persuasive, informative writings

• public speaking

Science

Students learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• Trial and error experiments

• The study of plants and animals how they use sunlight and water to grow

• Function of plants and animals in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants

• Diversity of life in di erent habitats

• Study of Earth systems

• Study of Matter

• Heating and Cooling weekly educational experiences

• Music Class

• PE Class

• Art Class

• STEM Lab

• Technology Class

• Math / Reading RTI

• Visit to School Library

• Prayer Buddies at Mass

3rd grade

Religion

Know and understand the basic teachings of the Catholic Church. Recognize that the Creed reveals the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church. Share understanding of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Accept the example of Mary and of the saints as models for daily living.

Mathematics

Mastery of fact families in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Use this information, to be able to solve two-step word problems and equations.

• developing understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for multiplication and division within 100

• developing understanding of fractions, especially unit fractions

• developing understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area

• describing and analyzing two-dimensional shapes

• solve problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects

• mathematical vocabulary

Reading / Language Arts

• identify the meaning of most common prefixes and su xes

• decode multi-syllable words

• read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words

• daily exposure to writing

• emphasis on using convention of the English language

• narrative, opinion/persuasive, informative writing

• guidelines for being a good listener

• public speaking

Science

Students learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• study of plants and animals

• life cycles

• ecosystems

• heredity and environment

• species variation

• world climate

• electricity and magnets

Social Studies

Students will focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society. The students will focus on

• rules and responsibilities to help promote order and safety

• learning about democracy and rules and laws governing the lives of people

• voting and purpose of political o ces

• learning important symbols, events, and people in history

• learn about wants versus needs

• introduction to basic geography and the use of maps and globes.

4th grade

Religion

Continue to develop devotion to Mary and to the saints in their personal prayer life. Spread the Gospel message by joyfully sharing our faith and our practices with others. Demonstrate etiquette and reverence while actively participating in liturgical celebration.

Mathematics

Developing understanding and fluency with multi-digit multiplication, and developing understanding of dividing to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends

• fraction equivalence, addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators, and multiplication of fractions by whole numbers

• geometric figures can be analyzed and classified based on their properties, such as having parallel sides, perpendicular sides, particular angle measures, and symmetry

• problem solving

• measurement and conversion

• mathematical vocabulary

Social Studies

Focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society.

• geographical regions of the United States

• gain an understanding of the physical characteristics, features, natural resources, history, and climate of these regions

• basics of democracy —local, state, and national governments

Reading / Language Arts

• know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

• main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details

• interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears

• author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text

• integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably

• read and comprehend informational texts, including religion, history/social studies, science, and technical texts, appropriately complex for the individual student

• know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

Science

Learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• trial and error experiments study of plants and animals

• internal and external structures to support survival, growth, behavior and reproduction

• sensory function as it relates to brain processing and response to information

• natural energy and fuel speed and energy

• conversion of energy from one form to another

• amplitude and wavelength light reflection

5th grade Reading / Language Arts

• determine a theme of a story

Religion

Express appreciation for Jesus’ gift to us by being kind, by being generous, and of service to others. Develop a right relationship with God, others and self. Incorporate the virtues (faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance) into their lives.

Continue to develop devotion to Mary and to the saints in their personal prayer life.

Mathematics

Continuing to build fluency with addition/ subtraction, multiplication/division, integers and fractions

• developing understanding of the multiplication of fractions and of division of fractions

• extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system

• developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations

• analyze patterns and relationships

• convert like measurement units within a given measurement system

• developing understanding of volume graph points on the coordinate plane to solve real-world and mathematical problems

• classify two-dimensional and threedimensional figures into categories based on their properties

• mathematical vocabulary

• compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text

Reading / Language Arts

• identify the meaning of most common prefixes and su xes

• know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

Reading / Language Arts

• decode multi-syllable words

• determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language

• read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words

• daily exposure to writing

Instruction is adapted to sequential and comprehensive, and is adapted to meet individual di erences.

• use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context

• emphasis on using convention of the English language

• recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence and grammar rules

• narrative, opinion/persuasive, informative writing

• guidelines for being a good listener

• apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

• read with su cient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

• public speaking

• read and comprehend literature representing a variety of genres that is reflective of diversity and appropriately complex for the individual student

• read with su cient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Science

• build vocabulary

Science

• writing for a variety of purposes and audiences

Students will learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

Learning through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• study of plants and animals

• guidelines for being a good listener

• life cycles

• trial and error experiments

• study of plants and animals

• ecosystems

Science

• ecosystems interactions, energy and dynamics

• heredity and environment

• species variation

• world climate

• movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposer, and the environment

Students learn through observing, predicting, questioning, and explaining.

• electricity and magnets

• Earth’s place in the universe

• trial and error experiments

• speed and energy

• life cycle of plants and animals

• motion and stability

• gravitational force

Social Studies

• patterns of sun, moon and the stars

• energy from the sun

• sound and vibration

Social Studies

• uses of light and sound in communication

Focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society.

Students will focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society. The students will focus on

Social Studies

• rules and responsibilities to help promote order and safety

• civic and personal responsibilities of students and adults

• learning about democracy and rules and laws governing the lives of people

Students will focus on the study of society and relationship of individual members within society. The students focus on

• learning about democracy and rules and laws governing the lives of people

• voting and purpose of political o ces

• learning about the Bill of Rights to outline and protect the rights of citizens

• awareness of local & world communities

• learn the importance of the Declaration of Independence and Illinois and US Constitutions

• learning important symbols, events, and people in history

• learn about wants versus needs

• relationships among communities

• Westward expansion

• Civil War

• meeting needs through good and services

• introduction to basic geography and the use of maps and globes.

• understand world geography and its e ects on society

• understand political, economic, and social systems

SPECIALS

Bishop McNamara seeks to educate the whole child; body, mind and spirit by offering classes to develop those special areas.

art

The Art curriculum fosters curiosity about materials and process while providing a strong foundation in visual art. Students are encouraged to develop their own artistic voice using a variety of materials such as oil pastels, paint, clay, and fibers, providing a creative outlet that is both joyful and challenging. Lessons share the art of cultures from around the world.

Music

Active listening, movement, singing and playing instruments are various ways students engage with music. Discovery, exploration and improvisation are at the heart of what we do, encouraging and guiding students to develop an appreciation for beauty, awareness of culture, and understanding of music as a vehicle for self-expression and an essential element of community.

PE

Designed to develop both small and large locomotor skills, PE instills an appreciation of a variety of physical activities and games. Individual skills are taught and practiced, and then introduced within the context of an age-appropriate game. Students develop their own individual skills while gaining an appreciation for their role as a member of a team. Good sportsmanship is stressed in every area of concentration.

Technology

Students will use a variety of media and technology resources for directed and independent learning activities. Students will learn to navigate online educational applications, recognize basic technology components and vocabulary, use letters and keys on the keyboard and learn and practice the basics of internet safety.

stay connected

Communication is an essential element for a positive educational experience. There are several tools to ensure parents are well informed and have an open line of communication with our school regarding updates and reminders, emergency notifications, student and family data, attendance and tracking student grades.

• Email Messaging: Sent to current families for important updates and reminders.

• Text Messaging: Sent as an additional way of communicating urgent information, school updates, and important reminders.

• Tuesday Folder Portals: In an attempt to go green, we have implemented a portal on our website for updated informational flyers for our upcoming school events and fundraiser events for Bishop McNamara.

• Weekly Classroom Newsletters

• BMCS APP: The Bishop McNamara Catholic School app provides parents, students, and faculty members with all the information they need in one place, conveniently accessed and formatted specifically for consumption on their mobile devices.

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