Our art classes are designed to help students become more well-rounded and capable individuals by teaching them to develop original ideas through creative expression.
Students in preschool focus on the basics of art and how to recognize them. Students learn colors and shapes, patterns and lines, color mixing and the safe and correct use of tools. Students will practice holding tools, pinching and grasping objects is especially important in developing fine motor skills.
Students in Kindergarten will continue work on proper use of tools and recognition of shapes and colors. They will work on pattern creation, craftsmanship, and directed drawing. Students will explore color mixing and texture using various media.
Students in 1st grade will complete seasonal and thematic-directed drawings. They will learn about the color wheel and begin exploring the elements of art. Students will begin categorizing colors and be able to identify the primary and secondary colors. They will explore works of artists and use masterpieces to inspire their work.
Students in 2nd grade will add the elements of form and value and expand on the previous elements of color, line, and shape. They will use various media to show actual and perceived depth and texture. Students will explore the emotion and feeling behind color and line. Students will work at identifying what they like and what they don’t like in art. They will practice critique and evaluation of masterpieces trying to identify elements or media they are familiar with and the emotion or feeling of the piece.
Students in 3rd grade begin to learn that art has categories, genres and functions. They learn to draw step by step and to actually look at what they want to draw. Students will complete artistic studies of trees and flowers. They will explore different genres of art and identify the elements they enjoy and those they do not. They will study the parts of a picture and explore the element of space. Students will work on giving pieces depth and interest. They will begin writing artist statements describing their work on Artsonia.com.
Students in 4th grade will work to incorporate elements of art and principles of design into all projects. They will continue exploring their own process through artist statements on artsonia. The artistic focus will be on collage and landscape. Students will explore different artists and use various techniques and media in their work.
Students in 5th grade will explore historical artists and art movements. Students will use the major techniques and trends they learn about in their own work. They will continue to practice in critique work and expand their own understanding of art through their artist statements and use of the properties and elements.
Students in 6th grade will explore different uses of art from mindfulness to advertisement. They will use tools such as compass and protractor to create symmetrical pieces inspired by the mandala’s of the east and Canva.com to create graphics. They will learn to scale work using the grid system. Students will demonstrate value using sketching pencils in their pieces. They will explore the importance of composition and color choice in advertising.
Students in 7th grade will focus on using color to emphasize and highlight work. They will work on large scale compositions and portraiture. Students will study the proportions of facial features and work on pieces using freehand as well as the grid method.
Students in 8th grade will focus on digital media. They will be creating pieces using iMovie and Canva. The videos will include: music videos, stop motion animation, and a short film. Students will explore cinematography, scriptwriting, lighting, and audio recording. They will also explore graphic design principals in the creation of their advertisements for the finished pieces.
Global Connections classes provide students the knowledge needed to use a library, research skills, and a love of reading and learning.
Students in preschool have story time and check out a book to take home each week.
Students in K-2 learn about our Library. They have the opportunity to check out books weekly. Book care rules and parts of a book are some of the library skills covered. A variety of books from different genres are read aloud. Comprehension skills are addressed through discussion about what was read. Students learn small poems and nursery rhymes.
Students in third grade build on skills from the previous years. They work with the Destiny program to find books in our library. They work on building reading comprehension skills, differentiating reading levels as appropriate for individual students’ needs. Students use a thesaurus to locate synonyms for words and are introduced to the encyclopedia as a resource for future projects. Students listen to stories read aloud and ask and answer questions to practice comprehension skills.
Students in fourth grade build on skills learned from previous years including locating information in the library, and research skills. Given a theme, they write short stories with a beginning, middle, and end. A variety of book genres are discussed. Students complete projects coinciding with the current season. Learning occurs through hands-on fun.
Students in fifth grade build on previously learned skills. We will do a variety of projects depending on the season. Research skills are an important part of learning in fifth grade. Learning to be an effective note taker, better writer, and learning study skills are a few areas on which students will work. Students learn about different authors and styles of writing. Relay races to find books in the library is always fun!
Middle School students learn how to properly navigate the library, especially the non-fiction section, using the Dewey Decimal System. Students learn to evaluate print and electronic sources, correctly take notes using paraphrasing and summarizing, cite sources, understand plagiarism, and responsibly and safely share information while collaborating with others. 8th graders focus on the real world by learning about income, saving, investing, credit, and budgeting. Students explore what it is like to be an adult with a full time job and responsibilities. They put all of their knowledge to the test during a trip to JA Finance Park.
All Global Innovations STEM classes focus on building critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving skills. Activities range from high use of technology in which students are coding and programming, to low tech scenarios in which students engineer solutions to problems presented. The overall goal is to help each student become an empowered learner, computational thinker, creative communicator, innovative designer, knowledge constructor, and digital citizen.
Students in Pre-K learn how to use a mouse and keyboard, and play games to learn counting, colors, and their alphabet.
Students in Kindergarten learn how to use a mouse, including double click and right-click. They illustrate ideas using the proper software, such as TuxPaint and PowerPoint, and learn the layout of the keyboard.
Students in 1st grade move on to advanced usage of the keyboard, including shift, ctrl, and alt will be used. We will learn how to navigate web pages, and use words and graphics to tell a story, using iPad apps.
In second grade, typing skills are introduced in second grade. Second grade students will create and follow algorithms and programs using loops and variables to solve a problem. They also start basic search skills in Google.
Third graders work on saving documents to their proper location, including flash drives, are a skill learned in third grade. Novice word processing skills, such as formatting and heading, will be taught as well.
Fourth and fifth graders use a Google account and Chromebooks. They will learn how to use Google apps, including the drive to save files. Copy and Paste skills are taught, and full document skills are learned. Proper methods of research, including simple citations, are taught. More advanced document formatting is learned, including proper name/date headings using tabs
Middle school has “full-time” use of a Chromebook, and are taught how to use a variety of programs and apps, including Docs, Slides, Keep, Drive, Forms, and Sheets. Students participate in coding lessons, learn internet safety, and citizenship, and graphic design in apps such as Canva In the Elective classes, the middle school students learn the history of computers and video games, as well as participate in coding lessons.
The music program at St. Martha provides students with cognitive and non-cognitive development opportunities, as well as introducing and building an appreciation of a variety of music.
In preschool the focus is on making music with voices, hands and feet. Students use instruments like the piano, xylophone and drum to learn rhythm and reinforce things they are learning in class like numbers and letters. There is a Christmas and end-of-the-year program.
Students in kindergarten learn more about music concepts such as high and low, fast and slow, loud and soft. They also talk about instruments and what makes them sound the way they do. They get to play with instruments every week and learn about what music means to them. The students have a Christmas and end-of-the-year program.
Students in 1st grade start learning about music theory. They learn about note names, rhythm, dynamics and tempo. They do activities, games and songs to reinforce learning. They also participate in a Christmas program.
Students in 2nd grade go a little more in depth into music theory. They start off with reviewing note names and rhythms and then get into instruments and the orchestra. The students get to hold and see instruments from the orchestra and talk about the different orchestra families and then they make their own instruments. They also participate in a Christmas program.
Students in 3rd grade do a deep review of note names and rhythm to prepare them to learn an instrument in 4th grade. Then they talk about what it means to be a composer and learn about composers from all of the music eras. They learn about solfege and how important that is to learning how to read music.
Students in 4th grade learn how to play two instruments, the drum and the xylophone. They learn how to read music and then play it on either instrument. The drum deals with rhythm and the xylophone deals with note names which is what they have been continually learning over the past few years.
Students in 5th grade learn how to play the Ukulele. The start off the year with a quick review of notes and rhythms and then spend the second half of the year learning how to play the Ukulele and sing-a-long with it. At the end of the year, after all their hard work, they have a performance at the awards ceremony.
Students in 6th grade spend time learning how to compose their own music. They use all of the knowledge they have learned in music and pour it into their own piece. They use the Chromebook to produce their songs. The second half of the year they talk about music in the media and do multiple projects that involve TV, Movies, Commercials, etc. and then they present them to the class.
Students in 7th grade spend a lot of time creating music on the Chromebook. They use different platforms to create beats, mixes, tracks and videos. It is a very creative year ending with writing their own plays and performing them for the younger grades.
Students in 8th grade discuss and learn about music careers and talk to professionals that have been in the industry for years. They also learn about music genres and the students teach the class about the different kinds. Later in the year they create their own music track on their Chromebook. Then they finish the year out with making a music video and performing live.
The goal of our Physical Education classes is to instill the love and need of physical fitness that will last a lifetime. Throughout a student’s time at St. Martha, he/she will be exposed to a variety of sports and activities.
Preschool and primary grades work mainly on basic gross motor skills, locomotor skills (jogging, skipping, galloping, walking, hopping, etc.), and manipulative skills (throwing, catching, bouncing, kicking, dribbling, volleying, etc.). They also work on essential partner and group values – teamwork, cooperation, using kind words, and forgiveness. Students participate in a variety of fun games, as well as fitness exercises. Each student is evaluated based on effort, participation, and sportsmanship.Each student is given points based on effort, participation, and sportsmanship.
Intermediate grades work more on refining sport specific skills for basketball, volleyball, flag football, tennis, and soccer. Students also learn the importance of exercise and practice a variety of fitness games that encompass different components of fitness (cardio, muscular endurance, flexibility, etc). Students will also work on lifetime skills such as jump rope, wiffle ball, kickball, archery, scoop ball, etc. At this grade level students are required to discuss and practice the importance of sportsmanship, effective communication, teamwork, fair play and honesty. Students are encouraged to self assess themselves daily on their skill level and effort in class in order to practice learning more self awareness. Each student is given points based on effort, participation, and sportsmanship.
Middle school students participate in sport units (basketball, flag football, volleyball, soccer, team handball, wiffle ball, nitroball, eclipse ball, archery, etc) where they are more involved in leadership by having the option of acting as captains. Captains are required to behave as positive leaders by using effective communication, encouraging participation, helping teammates with skills, running plays, and making sure everyone is participating in fair play. Students also participate in a variety of fitness activities that incorporate components of fitness such as flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, and cardio. They will participate in cooperative games throughout the year which helps them to learn the importance of teamwork, cooperation, and sportsmanship. Each student is given points based on effort, participation, and sportsmanship.
The Spanish curriculum is taught in a cross-curricular way, supporting learning in other subjects through the Spanish language and culture.
Preschool students become exposed to the Spanish language through song. Students learn and practice colors and words associated with the weather. They also work on how to greet someone and say goodbye.
Literacy: Students learn greetings, numbers from 0- 20, Spanish vowels & ABC’s phonetics, colors, shapes, animals, fruits/vegetables, and classroom commands.
Religion: The sign of the cross and Guardian Angel prayer
Cultural: Holidays vocabulary as Easter, Halloween, Three king’s Day & Valentine’s Day.
Literacy: Numbers from 0 – 100, Syllables Sounds, Basic expressions, body parts, Age, class objects, Days, months, Seasons, Articles, House words, Clothing, Classroom commands & objects.
Religion: Hail Mary prayer
Cultural: Holiday vocabulary such as Easter, Day of the Dead, Christmas & Cinco de Mayo.
Literacy: Greetings & Farewells, Subject Pronouns, Ar, Er & IR verbs, Family members, To have, to be, to like & to go verbs, Emotions, Locations, Classroom Expressions, Reading comprehension, pronunciation.
Religion: Our Father prayer
Cultural: Spanish Speaking Countries, Hispanic Heritage, Day of the Dead, Three king’s Day, Holy Week & Cinco de Mayo.
