Grades 1-3 Enrichments

STEM Grades 1st - 3rd STEM program introduces the LAUNCH cycle of design thinking Students will start by learning how to work together to solve various problems, learning that there are different roles needed in every group From there, students will learn how to use various engineering tools they will encounter in their STEM careers and eventually use them to build larger projects. Students will also spend some time learning the basics of coding. These early stages will help them with projects not only in the STEM classroom but through all their academia

Music Grades 1st-3rd music program strengthens students’ musical knowledge and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate learned skills Students will develop knowledge and skills related to the elements of music such as dynamics, tempo, rhythm, pitch, tone poems, musical stories, instruments of the orchestra, echo singing and vocals These skills will be demonstrated in classroom activities.

Art In art class, students in the first, second and third grade primary and JLM levels get messy and engage in the art making process through hands-on projects The teacher introduces different mediums, artists and techniques to expose students to the rich history of fine art Students have hands-on experiences with fibers, paper mache, plaster, wire, recyclable materials, natural materials, installation, pastels, painting, drawing and printmaking Through exposure to these mediums students build a foundation of abilities, which they will eventually use as a springboard for self-directed projects in middle school

Spanish The elementary level Spanish program continues to build on the child’s foundation for foreign language learning After we review and expand on all elements introduced at the preschool/kindergarten levels, we develop Spanish language skills in conversation, writing, song, prayer, movement, and global perspective.

Physical Education

Physical Education at the lower elementary level is an avenue for engaging in developmentally appropriate physical activities designed for children to develop their fitness, gross and fine motor skills to enable them to participate in games. They learn essential skills to become physically literate. Physical Education activities include Locomotor skills, non-locomotor skills, manipulative skills, balance and dance They learn modified games and sports The curriculum leads the students to participate in the Intermediate grades curriculum

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

The Social-Emotional Learning curriculum at the Elementary Level is designed to support students in learning the developmentally appropriate skills and attitudes needed in order to develop healthy identities, self-awareness, and social awareness It also teaches students the important skills needed for managing big emotions, feeling and showing empathy for others, developing the skills to create and identify positive and supportive relationships, and making responsible and caring decisions. Through this work, students begin to deepen their understanding of themselves and others, take pride in themselves and their uniqueness, foster inclusivity, and become a productive member of the community.

Ages 3-5 Program and Course Studies Descriptions (Primary and Montessori)

Pre-Primary and Kindergarten Program:

In our Pre-Primary program (ages 3 and 4) and Kindergarten (age 5) our students progress through the curriculum in a teacher-directed environment that encourages interaction, exploration, and investigation In first, second, and third grade, students learn the critical skills of decision-making and responsibility as teachers guide them through their academic subjects (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Religion) and enrichment classes using themed projects and independent learning centers

Montessori Ages 3-6 Program:

The Montessori 3-6 Curriculum offers children five key areas of study: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Culture. Each learning area is made up of a set of Montessori materials that each teach one key knowledge area or skill. Montessori teachers present key lessons to introduce children to the name and learning outcomes of each Montessori material After a key lesson, the children work independently with the Montessori material to practice, explore, and make connections to learning outcomes. During this time, Montessori teachers stand back, observe how the children are learning, and document their progress A teacher will only intervene if needed, to encourage children’s independence, as there is a direct link between children’s sense of empowerment and their ability to retain new skills and information. New lessons are provided when a child is ready to progress to the next stage Through repetition and practice, children master the progression of the Montessori Materials and develop a fundamental understanding of each curriculum

Ages 3-5

ELA/ Language

Course Descriptions

Primary Montessori

The primary path provides explicit phonemic awareness taught through Heggerty utilizing a multi-sensory approach This approach allows students to hear and work the sounds in words within the phonemic awareness lessons, then match the sound to print during phonics instruction Our hands-on and direct phonics instruction is taught through the Wilson’s Fundations curriculum Readers and Writer’s Workshop models employed through the Schoolwide, Inc. Reading and Writing

Fundamentals and Handwriting Without Tears curriculums. Literacy concepts are taught and practiced in multiple ways (whole group, small group, and individualized interventions) to target multiple learning styles. Students have opportunities to meaningfully engage with content and practice skills and strategies through sensory bins, differentiated literacy centers, and dramatic play Teachers provide both guidance and immediate feedback during practice so that correct responses are reinforced

PrePrimary Series Followed:

● Learning without Tears

● Varied Literature

● Scholastic News: My Big World

● Wilson’s Fundations

Kindergarten Series Followed:

● Reading and Writing Fundamentals (Schoolwide, Inc.)

● Fundations Level K (Wilson)

● Varied Literature

Montessori Language exercises focus on increasing listening skills, comprehension, and vocabulary Listening skills develop through Oral Language, Pre-Reading and exploration of sound activities. Developing strong vocabulary sets the foundation for communication and increased reading and writing skills. All of these skills lead to the Montessori concept of Total Reading, as the child’s decoding activities lead to a full understanding of the author’s intent

● Oral Language Activities

○ Oral Language -

■ stories, book corner, poetry, rhymes,finger plays, story awareness

○ Picture Story

○ Nomenclature/Vocabulary

● Writing

○ Auditory perception

○ Basic orientation

○ Visual perception

○ Visual discrimination

○ Classification

● Writing

○

● Reading

○ Phonics

○ Puzzle Words

○ Little Books

○ Reading Folders

■ Special Sounds

● Total Reading

Ages 3-5

Math

Primary Montessori

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s Primary Math Program is designed to help learners move from basic conceptual understandings towards mastery of specific skills and then apply that knowledge to real-world scenarios and experiences. Students are provided different contexts for students to develop a strong mathematical foundation. Our early childhood math program includes:

● Numeracy skills, addition and subtraction with a focus on base 10 concepts

● Enabling recognition of flat and solid shapes and their properties

● Strengthening fluency in basic measurements

● Sorts more complex objects into categories; explains reasoning

● Uses concepts of spatial relationships and ordering

● Use of hands-on materials, digital resources, and projects for instruction

● To enable students to think, reason and communicate mathematically

● To provide different contexts for students to develop a strong sense of number and to master numerical skills.

Stepping into a primary math class, you will see students engaging with manipulatives to gain a concrete understanding of abstract mathematical concepts. Students are challenged to explain their mathematical thinking while engaging in discussion about their strategies and approaches to various problems.

Montessori 3-6 Math Materials create tactile mathematical experiences for the child The child uses concrete materials that isolate each mathematical concept. Montessori Math Materials allow the child to use their sense of touch to grasp mathematical concepts of quantity The mathematical concepts covered in the Carriage House are numeration, the decimal system, computation, the arithmetic tables, fractions, and positive numbers. Arithmetic is the process of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division Additional work is introduced with the number chains–which are separate chains of beads one through ten–that demonstrate squares and cubes of numbers Children love to skip count using these bead chains, which forms the concrete basis of the multiplication tables The simultaneous learning of numeration, decimal structure, and computation are fundamental in any Montessori environment.

PreMath Skills and Concepts

○ Skills of order, concentration, coordination, independence

● Logical Quantifications

○ Encouraging thinking in mathematics

○ Number Concepts

● Quantities and Symbols

● Decimal System 1-1000

● Linear Counting

● Addition

● Multiplication

● Subtraction

● Division

● Paths to Abstraction

Ages 3-5

Science

Primary Montessori

The science program at Norwood Fontbonne Academy pushes students to

- Matter and Its Interactions

- Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

- Earth’s Systems

- Engineering Design

Ages 3-5

Social Studies

Primary Montessori

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s primary social studies curriculum provides students with a background in connecting in communities. Students participate in the study of:

- Civics and Government

- Principles and Documents of Government

- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

- How Government Works

- Economics

- Scarcity and Choice

- Economic Independence

- Geography

- Basic Geography Literacy

- Human Characteristics of Places and Regions

- Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions

- Interactions between People and the Environment

- History:

- Pennsylvania history

- United States history

- Significant state and country symbol

Ages 3-5

Practical Life

Primary Montessori

Practical Life Activities are the activities of everyday life The child observes these activities and gains knowledge through the real experience of accomplishing life skills in a purposeful way. The activities involve four areas: Care of Self, Care of the Environment, Grace & Courtesy, and Control of Movement All activities in Practical Life support the development of order, concentration, coordination, independence, and control of movement. Food Preparation is an integral part of Practical Life as children have opportunities to juice oranges, peel hard boiled eggs, prepare apples, and peel carrots

● Grace and Courtesy

● Fine motor development

● Control of Movement

● Care of Self

● Care of Environment

● Food Preparation

Ages 3-5

Sensorial

Montessori Sensorial exercises focus on developing your child’s ability to understand and adapt to their surroundings. This area of learning includes the manipulation of specifically designed Montessori materials that isolate the senses Exposure to sensory information, such as dimension, color, shape, texture, smell, and taste, helps your child classify and categorize the things around them as they explore their world. Sensorial exercises allow your child to refine each of their senses of Sight (visual), Touch (tactile), Smell (olfactory), Taste (gustatory), Sound (auditory), and Stereognostic (kinesthetic).

● Visual Sense

○ Size, color, form

● Muscular-Tactile

○ Surfaces, textures, stereognosis, temperature, pressure

● Auditory sense

● Olfactory Sense

● Gustatory Sense

Ages 3-5

Culture

Primary Montessori

Montessori Cultural exercises focus on allowing your child to experience their place in the world and gain an appreciation and respect for differences These exercises explore their culture and others while teaching that all beings are fundamentally related This area of learning helps your child discover the world around them and understand their own significance in it. Cultural exercises explore a variety of topics, such as: Geography, Zoology, Science, Botany, Art, and Music

● Cosmic Education

● Ecology Theory (Stewards of the Earth)

● Geology

● Botany

● Zoology

● Cultures of the World

○ Physical

○ Political

● History

○ Timelines - personal, communal

○ Art, Music

● Science

Primary and Montessori

Ages 3-5

Religion

● Seeds Activity Booklets

● Bible Stories

● Saints

● Feast Days of Saints and Holy Days

● Good Citizenship

● Respect for others

● Kindness