Kindergarten

"Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn."

O. Fred Donaldson

Our Kindergarten students learn in a caring and fun-filled environment that is focused on instilling a joy of learning. Joy is enhanced when our students are able to learn at their own pace whether they master a concept easily and are ready for more challenges or they need a little extra time.

Kindergarten students are very observant and learn best when they are active and participating in hands-on activities. Through a variety of teaching methods and resources, our Kindergarten students thrive in an environment that plants the seed for a lifelong joy of learning.

New Lessons to Learn in Kindergarten

Your children will enjoy individualized attention in a safe, caring and structured environment designed to help students succeed academically through intellectual growth, and personally through emotional and social growth.

Kindergarten at Our Lady of Lourdes engages kids in learning while having fun in class. Together with their classmates, Kindergarten students will:

Build literacy, math and science skills.
Enjoy learning-oriented play and field trips.
Participate in community service projects to help others.
Grow socially, emotionally and spiritually.
Be successful in Elementary School and beyond.

Curriculum

Religion

Students will begin exploring the rich tradition of their faith by learning about God, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Lourdes). Students will be introduced to the Apostles and the Saints, as well as the clergy of the Church, from deacons to the Pope. Students will learn the purpose of creation and our existence, and that we should love God with our hearts as well as their neighbors. Students will also be introduced to the many traditions of the faith as well as worship practices and prayers.

Handwriting

Handwriting is designed to develop fine motor skills while learning their upper and lowercase letters. Students will learn that letters combine to form words. This class will provide them with the skills they need to learn to read. Students will learn to read their first words.

Math

The math curriculum for Kindergarten will teach students to recognize shapes, objects, positions and patterns. Students will learn to associate numerals with different sets of items and counting from 1 to 100. Students will learn how to measure objects, tell time, and work with money.

Phonics

Students will learn to recognize letter sounds and the sounds made by combinations of letters (syllables). Students will begin to recognize and read sight words.

Reading

In Reading, students will understand concepts of print (examples: parts of a book, left to right, top to bottom). Students will learn to distinguish differences in sounds of spoken language and understand that a letter represents a sound. Students will recognize the letters and the sounds they represent and know some words by sight.

They will listen to and demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of text (examples: alphabet books, informational stories, literature, and nursery rhymes). In the classroom, students will demonstrate familiarity with everyday print and correctly answer questions about a book read aloud. Students will also retell a story in sequence and connect events in a story to life experiences.

Science

Science will prepare your student to become a critical thinker by teaching the basics of the scientific method. Students will be able to perform basic experiments and other activities at home. Students will also learn that God is the source of all knowledge and that God alone can create and work miracles, which are beyond the realm of science.

Social Studies

Kindergarten Social Studies focuses on several big ideas. The students will learn what it means to be a part of a family and why they are different from other family members. They will learn about why we celebrate holidays and what they mean. The students will learn how to be a good citizen and will learn about how different groups might have different rules. Money will be explained as well as the concept of work and the types of work that people might do. The students will learn about the concepts of time, today, yesterday, and tomorrow in order to describe events. They will start learning how to read maps, along with the common symbols and directions found on one. Finally, the students will learn about landforms, water, and weather.

SPECIAL AREAS

Enriching Minds, Inspiring Creativity and Developing Talent

In addition to the core curriculum, students at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School enjoy a variety of specialty
subjects designed to complement and enrich their overall academic experience.

SPANISH

All students receive weekly instruction in Spanish. The Spanish curriculum is implemented using age-appropriate activities in a creative, interesting and engaging classroom environment.

Students in grades K – 5th visit the Spanish classroom once per week and focus on the basic language skills of speaking, listening, comprehension, reading and writing.

Students in grades 6 - 8th receive Spanish instruction twice per week, further deepening their knowledge. Through hands-on activities, songs, games and projects, students acquire both linguistic skills and a greater cultural awareness.

ART

Education in the Visual Arts is important to the development of creative expression. Through the study of visual arts, students develop creativity and build self-confidence. Our visual arts curriculum provides students with aesthetic experiences and builds an understanding of and an appreciation for a variety of cultures.

Students in grades K - 8th meet weekly with our art teacher in the Art Suite. Students are instructed in Art history, drawing, painting, and sculpture work as well as a variety of other methods and media. They are encouraged to create their own works of beauty and individuality.

MUSIC

Music education is an essential component of a child’s education. Through music, students develop creativity, imagination and expression. The music curriculum introduces students to a broad cultural awareness and deeper appreciation of the arts while developing life-long skills.

Students in grades PK3 - 8th participate in weekly music classes in the Music Suite. Our focus is on developing young singing voices, learning music skills, appreciating music, and sharing musical gifts. Elementary students work on learning rhythm, reading notes and a mastery of repertoire of age-appropriate songs.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Our physical education program is designed to develop the necessary skills and experiences that benefit students physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. By fostering physical fitness, teamwork, and healthy lifestyle choices students establish a positive self-concept.

Elementary students in grades PreK3 - 8th enjoy physical education classes each week in our outdoor athletic facilities. Through fun, fitness and fair play, our students develop eye-hand coordination, basic strength, balance and agility. They learn the skills and rules related to a variety of sports. The elements of improving personal skill level, supporting teammates, respecting opponents and the quality of sportsmanship are stressed.