Intermediate Religion

Religion classes at Norwood-Fontbonne Academy are designed to support our students in their growth as faith-filled persons in Catholic tradition Weaving SSJ spirituality and history through our lessons, students become rooted in the mission of our Sisters and the importance of unity; a unity that unites neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God and includes a strong emphasis on care for our Earth. Grade level SSJ infused themes provide a lens for our students to understand their role in being anti-racist and ways in which they can actively advocate for social justice. Opportunities to participate in Service-Learning and Outreach Projects, students are able to embody a spirit of service as they build relationships with our Dear Neighbor, while also growing in their ability to show empathy, respect, and compassion. Time in our Centennial Chapel rounds out the religion classroom experience.

4th Grade

● The Church

○ The Ten Commandments

○ The Sacrament of Baptism as a Sacrament of Initiation

○ Examination of Conscience and the gift of Forgiveness

○ The Eucharist

● Social Justice

○ The Works of Mercy

○ The Beatitudes

○ Becoming Disciples of Faith

● The Chapel Experience - Ways to Pray

○ Music Mediation

○ Reflections around prayers - The Lord’s Prayer, The Hail Mary, The Apostle’s Creed

○ Integration of cultural studies rooted in faith traditions

● Service-Learning experiences and special projects centered around our grade level theme of Belonging

5th Grade

● Overview of Sacraments

○ Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism and Confirmation

○ Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick

○ Holy Orders and Matrimony

● Social Justice

○ The Works of Mercy

○ The Beatitudes

○ Project on Gifts of the Holy Spirit

● The Chapel Experience - Ways to Pray

○ Music Mediation

○ Reflections around prayers - The Lord’s Prayer, The Hail Mary, The Apostle’s Creed

○ Integration of cultural studies rooted in faith traditions

○ Introduction to Lectio Divina

● Service-Learning experiences and special projects centered around our grade level theme of Resilience

Intermediate Enrichments

STEM Students will do projects that will grow from what they learned in the lower levels. In this part of their STEM careers, Students will dive into coding, circuits, and 3D design Students will have group projects in which they need to do research, build prototypes, and figure out how to improve upon their prototypes to reach the final goal set for them

Music The Intermediate School 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 music notation, rhythmic dictation, dynamics, tempo, meter, expressive qualities, performance, singing, orchestral instruments and musicians These skills will be demonstrated in classroom activities.

Art Students in fourth and fifth grade build on the skills they learned from previous years to hone their technical abilities in various art mediums. Through hands-on projects students continue their art making journey in fibers, paper mache, plaster, wire, recyclable materials, natural materials, installation, pastels, painting, drawing and printmaking With these repeated exposures to various mediums students prepare for the TAB approach in middle school where they will have the freedom to propose and execute self-directed projects

Spanish The Spanish curriculum for the intermediate level is aimed at preparing students for middle school by training a critical eye for linguistic concepts in the target language

Physical Education

Physical Education at the Intermediate 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, sports and lifetime activities They learn essential skills to become physically literate Physical Education activities include Locomotor skills, non-locomotor skills, manipulative skills, and team games and individual activities The curriculum introduces the students to the skills necessary to participate in the Middle School curruculum

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

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

Media Studies

The 4th and 5th Grade Media Studies curriculum scaffolds students ability to research information in text to research online. Students are taught how to be a digital citizen, how to create a clean digital footprint, and the importance of being safe online. Furthermore, students will apply their learning by creating a variety of projects ranging from iMovies, interactive timelines, digital posters, and more

Grades 1-3 Program and Course Studies Descriptions (Primary and Montessori)

Primary Grades 1-3 Program:

The grades one to three primary program uses a child centered approach that is rooted in the SSJ mission and highlights shared responsibility, independence, and love of learning. Students take passionate ownership of their learning. Teachers create an environment where students are guided through whole group, small group, and one on one instruction Collaboration within the class and across grade levels provides opportunities for interdisciplinary exploration. Our classrooms lay the academic foundation to prepare students for lifelong learning fostering curiosity, empathy, and twenty first century skills

Montessori Grades 1-3 Program:

The Junior Level Montessori 6-9 year old experience is one of individually paced learning where students think critically, become engaged and enthusiastic learners, and take responsibility for their own education. Using beautifully crafted, naturalistic materials the students can explore and discover meaning through movement and multi-age collaboration Our Montessori program follows the path set forth by Dr. Maria Montessori and continues her legacy in philosophy and practice to foster independence, accountability, and passion for their own educational path.

Course Descriptions

Primary Montessori

Grades

1-3

ELA/ Language

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s Primary English

Language Arts (ELA) program uses a Reading and Writing Workshop model Through the use of teacher-read mentor texts, shared texts, and active independent reading, reading strategies are taught through mini-lessons and practiced independently. Students in primary grades focus on building phonemic awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, and vocabulary through a systematic, multisensory approach By providing explicit instruction, teachers focus on a writer’s craft and create a predictable, safe environment where students take ownership of their writing, share their writing, and become competent with the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing).

Students are exposed to a variety of genres including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry All students are encouraged to see themselves as readers and writers and develop a love of the written word.

● Workshop model for reading and writing

● Guided Reading and Literature Circles

● Phonics and spelling program to develop strong understanding of English language

The Montessori Language curriculum focuses on communication and building understanding through words Using a constructivist, concrete-to-abstract approach we focus on phonics as the foundation to build an understanding of the written and spoken language. We emphasize the importance of grammar through symbols and storytelling that denote meaning and create a practical understanding of the function of words The teacher serves as a guide to further the intrinsic flow of learning

Grades 1-3 Math

Primary Montessori

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s Primary Math Program pushes students to build independence with math skills, persist through challenges, and apply math to the real world Students develop a positive relationship with themselves and mathematics through the various components of math class. At the primary level, students will focus on mastering basic math facts and gaining confidence solving multistep problems 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.

● Place Value and number sense

● Number relationships including basic facts and computation

● Concrete Skills: time, money, measurement

● Fractions

● Geometry

● Focus on problem solving, representation, communication, reasoning and proof, and connections within a mathematical world

The Montessori Math curriculum emphasizes the importance of logic, order, and reasoning. Using a beautiful set of materials in order to cultivate their critical thinking skills, children build their higher-level abstract understanding of numbers and patterns. The child will spend time learning how to apply their knowledge with a degree of precision to real world situations

Grades 1-3 Science

Primary Montessori

The science program at Norwood Fontbonne Academy integrates scientific concepts with literacy skills. Students develop critical thinking through hands-on exploration, investigation, and collaboration Inquiry guides young scientists to draw conclusions about life, physical, and earth science concepts.

- Matter and Its Interactions

- Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

- Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

- Earth’s Systems

- Engineering Design

Grades 1-3

Social Studies

Primary Montessori

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s primary social studies curriculum provides students with a background in government, economics, geography, and history with the goal of creating global citizens. Students participate in map navigation and creation, study of:

- Civics and Government

- Principles and Documents of Government

- Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

- How Government Works

- Economics

- Scarcity and Choice

- Geography

- Basic Geography Literacy

- Human Characteristics of Places and Regions

- Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions

- History:

- Pennsylvania history

- United States history

- Significant state and country symbols

Primary Montessori

Grades 1-3

Culture

The Montessori Culture curriculum is designed to build an understanding of the interconnectivity of the world and global citizenship of each child Children develop a grade level understanding of environmental relationships and their place in the universe. Through self choice, open exploration and self correcting materials, the child will apply their knowledge of global oneness to solve problems, build resilience, and formulate a moral awareness. Culture in the Montessori room encompasses the study of botany, zoology, geology, history, and political and physical geography

Grades 1-3

Religion

Primary and Montessori

Religion classes at Norwood Fontbonne Academy

● Catholic Sacrament preparation for grade 2, including the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist

● Understanding the aspects of the mass and names for people and sacramentals in the church

● Bible stories

● Liturgical Seasons, meaning and traditions

● Chapel Experience

○ Prayer Etiquette

○ Reflections

● Service-learning opportunities and special projects centered around the cohort theme of Unioning Love