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Coming Soon: Project Lead the Way!
Project Lead the Way is an innovative STEM curriculum designed to put students in the driver’s seat. “PLTW Launch taps into student’s exploratory nature, engages them in learning that feels like play, and encourages them to keep discovering – now and for any future they choose.”
Throughout each module, students are immersed in hands-on activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the real world. Each module features learning that blends computer science, engineering, biomedical science, and more. When participating in PLTW curriculum, even the youngest learners apply their math and English Language Arts (ELA) skills, learn science to standards, and adopt skills that are foundational across all academic disciplines.
St. Norbert teachers will complete PLTW training over the summer and be ready to implement curriculum modules in the fall. To learn more, click here.
K - 2 Literacy Results Are Off the Charts!
Reading is a fundamental skill for success in school and in life. At St. Norbert School, we believe every child has the right to read. Our research-based curriculum explicitly teaches students how to decode written text (read) and encode spoken language (write). All students receive explicit, systematic instruction with progress monitoring.This ensures that each child learns to crack the code of alphabetic text and develops into a highly capable reader and writer.
During the 2022-2023 school year we implemented a new phonics program called UFLI Foundations. The UFLI program is based upon research that found effective early literacy instruction works best when it:
- "Develops awareness of the segments of sounds in speech and how they link to letters,
- Teaches students to decode words, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words,
- Ensures that each student reads connected text every day to support accuracy, fluency, and comprehension" (UFLI, 2022).
2024 - 2025 School Calendar
Building Knowledge to Bolster Reading Comprehension
Research suggests that the most powerful way to advance students’ reading comprehension skills is to ensure they have access to learning opportunities that build background knowledge in science, social studies, and the arts.
After one year of UFLI Foundations implementation, faculty at St. Norbert School are collaborating to create experiential science and social studies modules for students in grades 1 and 2. The goal is to provide a shared content-based experience for all students, while differentiating reading content at each child’s instructional level. This model of teaching and learning ensures that all students have access to rich knowledge-building experiences and relevant reading material at his/her instructional level.
What does this look like in action?
In September and October, students investigated the life cycle of the pumpkin. Together, all students:
- Learned how to use scientific tools (i.e. magnifying lens, measuring tape, balance scale)
- Made observations about signs of summer and signs of autumn
- Investigated the attributes of pumpkins and gourds
- Measurement
- Weight
- Color
- Shape
- Texture
- Estimated how many seeds were in a pumpkin
- Opened the pumpkin, extracted the seeds, and counted to compare their estimate to the actual number of seeds
- Learned how to create a bar graph to show the number of seeds in each pumpkin.
Separately, mixed-aged groups conducted reading research on:
- The life cycle of a pumpkin
- How seeds grow?
- How seeds move
- Life at a pumpkin patch
- The difference between a pumpkin and a gourd.
In November, students began an engineering-based learning journey that investigated the attributes of strong structures and strong teams. Challenges included:
- The Tallest Standing Structure
- Investigating Shapes
- The Strongest Shape
- A Chair for Bear
- Building a House for the Gingerbread Boy & Girl
What students learned about building strong structures:
- The engineering design process
- Tall structures need a strong base
- The strongest shape is a triangle
- The history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- How to create a blueprint
- How to take a project through the engineering design cycle
What students learned about building strong teams:
- A strong team listens to one another’s ideas.
- A strong team learns from their mistakes.
- A strong team cooperates.
- A strong team uses teamwork.
The "Building Strong Structures and Building Strong Teams" learning journey concluded with a challenge from the gingerbread boy and gingerbread girl. See below for the exciting outcomes.