ELEMENTARY

The Spalding Method

This program is a comprehensive “Writing Road to Reading” program. It consists of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and literary appreciation. Students begin in the early stages learning the phonograms that will help them learn how to read. They make the connection between reading and writing by putting their spelling words into a notebook. They then read the words for reading and for spelling. This helps the student’s transition from phonics to reading with fluency and comprehension. The word list used in this program is the Ayres list of the most frequent words in the English language in the order of frequency. This helps the students build a sight word vocabulary that will enable them to read with more fluency and understanding as well. As the students build their vocabulary, they begin focusing on comprehension skills through literary appreciation, identifying text structures and learning five mental actions to comprehend what they hear and read. Through The Spalding Method, students read quality literature, build vocabulary, learn comprehension strategies and incorporate writing techniques using the vocabulary/spelling words.

Everyday Mathematics

Everyday Mathematics is a comprehensive research-based math program which spirals throughout the grades levels beginning in kindergarten and ending in 6^th grade. In order for our students to measure up to the ever-increasing demand for mathematics competence and problem-solving abilities, the way mathematics is taught had to change. Everyday Mathematics makes these changes by introducing students to all the major mathematical content domains—number sense, algebra, measurement, geometry, data analysis and probability—beginning in kindergarten. The program helps teachers move beyond basic arithmetic and nurture higher-order and critical-thinking skills in their students, using everyday, real-world problems and situation—while also building and maintaining basic skills, including automatic fact recall.

Science

St. James uses Nancy Larson Science for kindergarten through 3^rd grades and Delta Science Modules for 4^th through 8^th grades. They engage students in hands-on investigations, allowing students to master basic science concepts while developing key process and critical thinking skills. Each grade level studies concepts in the Life, Earth and Physical categories. The scientific method is reinforced throughout the units of study. We have our Science Fair in the spring for all grade levels.

Social Studies

With a focus on history and geography, reading skills, and critical thinking, Houghton Mifflin Social Studies textbook encourages students to explore the past, present, and future, while developing an appreciation of our diverse world. It features

*In-depth explorations that integrate strands such as history and geography

*Reading and lesson support to help students learn important concepts

*A variety of ancillaries, from literature to technology, to meet diverse needs

 *Assessment options to evaluate student progress

The use of simulations is an important part of the Social Studies curriculum in 2^nd-6^th grades. The purpose of these units is to raise the level of thinking of the children.  According to Bloom’s Taxonomy, there are six levels of thinking, which are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.  These units are designed to take the children from the knowledge level, where the children discover, observe, and recall information, up to the evaluation level, where they judge, justify, and make conclusions.  Using only textbooks and graphic organizers would maintain the children in between the knowledge and analysis levels of thinking, which are low to medium levels.  Research tells us those children that only work in the lower levels lose 60% of the information they learned in 6 months or less.  Therefore, based on our school’s Mission Statement, we want to have the students work in the highest academic level possible to encourage them to become life long learners.

Physical Education

Physical Education class is held daily for students in grades Pre-k through 6^th grades. A healthy body is an important concept for students to learn, understand, and practice. Teamwork, exercise, and various strength and coordination skills are the focus of the physical education curriculum. Students also maintain a sense of fun while they are exercising and staying healthy.

Spanish

Learning a second language is becoming more necessary as time goes on. Children learn a second language best at a young age. At St. James, a Spanish class is held once a week during the P.E. time. Vocabulary and conversation is the focus at the elementary level. Students receive an effort grade in Spanish class at the elementary level.

Art

Art classes are held once a week for grades K-5. Students learn about various artists and their techniques. Various media are studied throughout the year, including clay, acrylics, watercolor, paper making and drawing. Student work is displayed throughout the school year.

Technology

Over the past 20-25 years the use of computers in our jobs and daily lives has increased exponentially.  Computers and related technology now permeate almost every facet of modern life and the development of new technology and applications continues to increase. In this short period of time we have seen a complete transformation in the way our society operates and there is no reason to think that this trend will not continue.  The purpose of an education is to give students the basic knowledge and literacy to continue to learn and function productively in our society. Certainly "computer literacy" must be part of that education so that students gain at an early age an understanding of that technology and the ability to keep up with the changes that will come. Computer skills and understanding are as important to our children as reading, writing and arithmetic were as we were growing up, and should be included in core curriculum from the beginning.