Curriculum

The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen offers quality Catholic education in an atmosphere of strong tradition and values and a God-centered environment. As a school dedicated to the formation of academic excellence, we strive to create an environment that recognizes and supports each child while building self-esteem and confidence.

Our program is in accordance with the Maryland State Department of Education, National Standards and the Course of Studies of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The school is accredited by AdvancED. Our students experience an opportunity for growth spiritually, academically, physically, and socially from kindergarten through eighth grade. Instruction in computers, Spanish, physical education, music, art, and library are provided by our dedicated faculty and support staff.

Textbooks are selected from a recommended list contained in the Course of Study and are kept current. Technology, instructional materials, and manipulatives are used to enhance and promote active learning and discovery. In all areas of the curriculum teachers encourage students to become independent learners, and to become lifelong learners.

Technology improves the teaching and learning throughout the curriculum with use of new PC computers, Internet access in all classrooms, SmartBoards in all classrooms, LC projectors, and a new laptop lab for our Middle School students. Technology is incorporated into weekly lessons to enhance learning throughout the school.

Applicants for grades K-1 participate in Early Prevention of School Failure to ensure proper placement and maximum success—socially, intellectually, spiritually, and physically. All prospective students for grades 2-8 are administered a placement test. An interview and a shadow day are also required.

Kindergarten and Prefirst Program

Our Early Childhood Program is a developmentally age-appropriate program. The focus of the program is to meet the individual needs of the students while also instilling a love of learning.

Central principles and practices that we follow include:

*      Religious instruction of each child as a child of God
*       Wholeness of the child
*       Active involvement and interaction with others
*       Authentic experiences and appropriate learning activities
*       Integrated curriculum and intrinsic motivation Our Early Childhood Program is a place of activity and purposeful noise. Play is an important part of the learning process. It is a time when children develop attitudes toward school and in their own abilities to be successful. The curriculum integrates religion, science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, visual and auditory development, music, art, physical education and gross motor skills, as well as problem-solving techniques. The curriculum is designed to provide language-rich, hands-on approach for a child to learn by doing.

Primary (Grades 1 and 2)
Grades 1 and 2 are self-contained classrooms. Religion instruction is provided daily, with an emphasis on the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, which are received for the first time in grade 2. The language arts program consists of reading, spelling, Saxon Phonics, grammar, the writing process, and penmanship. The reading curriculum is literature-based with emphasis on phonics, decoding, and comprehension. Creative writing is also an important part of the program.

An accelerated Saxon Math program that emphasizes understanding of concepts, computation, and problem solving are taught to all students. The math program uses concrete objects such as building blocks for developing abstract concepts. Daily math meetings reinforce concepts and drills.

Social studies and science are taught as an awareness of the community and the world at large. Students experience Spanish, library, physical education, art, music, and computer classes as part of an integrated curriculum. Classroom computers are used for reinforcement and enrichment of the curriculum.

Intermediate (Grades 3, 4, and 5)
The goal of our intermediate curriculum is to begin preparation for a smooth transition into Middle School. Responsibility, independent work, and development of the faith are primary objectives at this level.

Religion
Our religion curriculum has students actively involved in outreach projects and participating in liturgies and prayer. We emphasize the building of Christian character, values, respect, and love. Students begin to live and understand the Commandments, Beatitudes, and Works of Mercy for others.

Language Arts
We have a departmental program in some of the curriculum areas in grades 3 through 5. The language arts curriculum continues and expands upon the basic skills developed in the primary grades with an emphasis on grammar, spelling, and the writing process. Through writing, the students further engage in higher order thinking skills, such as analyzing, comparing, and making judgments. Library skills of gathering information, organizing data, and study skills are developed cumulatively at each grade level.

Mathematics
An accelerated Saxon Math program is taught to all students. The curriculum follows the National Standards and Archdiocesan guidelines. Emphasis is placed on problem solving, reasoning skills, estimation and mental mathematics, and computation. Students learn basic skills using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents. Geometric concepts such as perimeter and area are also studied. Students are encouraged to apply these skills in real-life situations.

Social Studies
Grade 3 studies communities in the United States with emphasis on Native Americans. Students also study Washington, D.C. and create three-dimensional models of the monuments. A field trip to Washington, D.C. is an exciting culmination of this study. In our fourth grade, students examine the states and regions of the United States and their locations on the map along with landforms, economy, and natural resources. An in-depth study of Maryland and the Civil War includes a field trip to Gettysburg. The fifth grade concentrates on early American history through the Civil War, westward expansions of the United States, the Industrial Revolution, and our system of government. A field trip to Mount Vernon is part of the fifth grade year at Cathedral.

Science
The science curriculum provides in-depth study in the areas of life, physical, and earth sciences, plant life, and the environment. Implementation of hands-on experiments and critical thinking are used to develop scientific skills.

Middle School (Grades 6, 7, and 8)
The goals of our Middle School are to encourage responsibility and independent study and to prepare students for the challenges that they will encounter in high school and life experiences. Our Middle School program is departmental and utilizes small group teaching.

Religion
The religion curriculum stresses the Old Testament, the life of Christ, morality, and Church history. The students are spiritually enriched by prayer, liturgies, sacrament reception, and community outreach projects. Respect for self and others, character building, and moral values are developed by living their Catholic faith, by helping younger students, and by becoming leaders in our school. Eighth graders participate in outreach activities and celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Language Arts
The language arts curriculum includes a literature-based reading component of prose and poetry. There is also an English component that encompasses grammar, vocabulary, public speaking, and communication through diverse writing activities. Specific age-appropriate novels are read and discussed each trimester.

Mathematics
Our accelerated Saxon Math program continues to strengthen skills previously taught and to teach new concepts such as integers, pre-algebra, and algebra. Emphasis is placed on computational skills, concepts, and problem solving using a variety of teaching strategies and technology.

Social Studies
The social studies curriculum entails world history (grade 6), geography (grade 7), and United States history and government (grade 8). Historical facts, maps, and current events are utilized in the social studies curriculum.

Science
Earth, life, and physical science make up the curriculum for our Middle School. Educational methods include technology, lecture, experiments, projects, and team teaching. Physical science focuses on units covering forces, energy, field, and matter. Life science units include study of the environment, cell function, and dissection. Earth science concentrates on plate tectonics, geology, earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy.

Specialty Subjects

Spanish (1-8)
Spanish is offered at the School of the Cathedral in Grades 1-8, with a concentration in Grades 5-8. Letter grades are given beginning in 5th grade. Spanish is offered three times a week to our Middle School students.

The program develops skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and gives students an understanding of the cultures of Spanish speaking countries. The program prepares students for High School level 1 or 2. The Spanish language is taught using many different strategies, such as TPR (total physical response), books, handouts, Qué Tal magazines, and technology.

Library  (K-8)
The School of the Cathedral Library was the first elementary school library in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to be automated. This cutting-edge technology continues to enhance our library curriculum goals of love of reading and development of information skills. This reading enhancement includes reading aloud award-winning picture books in the primary level, novels to the intermediate level, author visits, and an annual Book Fair.

Basic library skills taught throughout these levels are expanded in the middle school with advanced research and organizational skills and test-taking techniques. All sixth graders write, illustrate, and bind their own children’s book.

Music (K-8)
The Music Department is concerned with providing each child with a basic knowledge of, and appreciation for, music. Through singing and a concentrated program on the fundamentals of music theory, a child will gradually develop the capacity for reading and interpreting the many symbols found in music making.

Physical Education and Athletics  (K-8)
Physical education classes are taught to all students throughout the school year. In grades K-3, aerobic exercises and stretching are presented in the form of low organization games and activities. Grades 4-8 are taught the fundamentals and rules of seasonal sports such as indoor and outdoor soccer, basketball, floor hockey, and volleyball. All classes emphasize sportsmanship and teamwork among all students. In addition to regularly scheduled classes, the Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge is administered every other year to students in grades 4-8.

Athletics are an integral part of the educational program at the School of the Cathedral. The athletic program offers boys and girls a chance to participate in after-school sports during each season. Students in grades K-8 are given the opportunity to play soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.

Art (K-8)
The art program provides a discipline-based curriculum that incorporates art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics. Students in grades K-8 explore a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, crafts, and computer technology while integrating the art elements and design principles. Students interpret themes and concepts from different artists, cultures, and historical periods through their own artwork. Each student has artwork on display for the Annual Fine Arts Night exhibit.

Technology (K-8)
Computer instruction is taught from kindergarten through 8th grade. The program develops proficiency, knowledge, and skills in: computer history and its future, computer terminology, keyboarding, word processing, databases, spreadsheets, graphics, and multimedia presentations. Students are moved through each level according to their individual capabilities. Teachers in all areas of the curriculum coordinate with the technology teacher to enhance their students’ projects and products. Proficiency areas include word processing; print, edit and save documents; basic spreadsheet; database; HyperStudio; Kid Pix; Kidspiration; Inspiration; digital camera; the Internet and online resources. SmartBoards in all the classrooms with a shared SmartBoard in the Faculty Lounge.