What's Happened in Lower Elementary?

The Last Countdown
By Taylor Schababerle
Layout and Design Editor
 
            Pre-K was busy in the fourth quarter. For the Easter season, they made Resurrection Eggs and learned the story of Easter. They also enjoy going to Mass and sitting still through it. They went to Dewberry Farm this past quarter and enjoyed the many fun things they have including: the animals, the train, and the playset. The have also been learning about the rainforests and butterflies. They learned about lines of symmetry on butterflies. They perfected counting to 10 using hands on things like frogs. They had the Week of the Young Child where they decorated a paper to look like themselves, and then their parents wrote special traits of theirs. They also wore funny hats, shoes, and brought a favorite stuffed animals to school. Some of the favorite center activities were Legos, painting, Playdoh, and free choice. These little Saints are ready to move on to Kindergarten!

A Journey to a New Hall
By Beatriz Eade
News Editor
 
            The Kindergarteners had a great fourth quarter! During the year, the students learned many things. Just within the fourth quarter, the students learned to recognize coins and paper money. They have improved very much on their reading skills, to the point where everyone can read. The students can now spell five letter words.                                                        
         The Kindergarteners have done many projects including experiments and presentations. This past quarter, they created a Mother’s Day and a science oviparous project, where they chose an animal and presented it to the class. Using videos, magazines, books, kits, pictures, and magnets, the Kindergarteners learned about plants, animals, experiments, recycling, taking care of the environment, and magnets in science. The students are definitely ready to leave the Pre-K and Kindergarten building, knowing that God is always with them and into the first grade hallway!
 
First to Finish
By Liam Walker
News Editor
 
            Even though the year is coming to an end, the first grade students are still going strong. Toward the end of the school year, the students participated in a poetry recitation where they memorized a poem and recited it. Some students dressed up in costumes that had something to do with their poem. The first graders also took part in the annual Pope Play. In this play, they acted out St. John Paul II’s life for the elementary students and their parents.
The students have also been very busy in their normal classes, too. In religion, they learned about the Easter season and the Ascension of Jesus. The students also learned about Holy Week and Pentecost. In social studies, they learned about the continents and oceans, and even made a world map. The first graders learned about the food chain, motion, and forces in science, while in math they practiced adding and subtracting with double digits. In language arts, spelling, and reading, the students learned all about paragraph structure and correct punctuation.
            Toward the end of the quarter, the first graders went to the Houston Arboretum. There they learned about different habitats and the types of animals that live in them. This quarter was an amazing way to wrap up the whole year. The students have learned so many new things and have become more independent. They are definitely ready for the next step in their lives.
 
An Eventful Ending
By Andrew Thampoe
Technology Editor
           
            The second grade year is coming to a great end! The end however will be “eventful” as the second graders have received their First Holy Communion and celebrated this milestone at SJPII, and also participated in a Mini Olympics. The students reviewed what they learned over the course of the year. They are also setting goals and learning how to meet the goals in the future. They’ve made incredible progress over the 2015-16 school year, exceeding expectations of the teachers.
            The science students, under the guidance of Ms. Fannin, have learned how to keep the earth green and clean. In math, the students learned about measuring. They measured distance and capacity. Double-digit addition and subtraction were also included in their studies during the fourth quarter. They recently read Cam Jensen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones by David A. Adler. April was National Poetry Month, and the second graders worked on poetry, and they made poetry booklets for Mothers’ Day. They strengthened their vocabulary as well.
            Easter came to an end in the fourth quarter, but not without affecting the second graders’ religion class. The Easter season was integrated into the past quarter in writing, prayer basket offerings, and video stories. The Ten Commandments took up a proportionally large amount of the fourth quarter. Memory verses are verses that the second graders are required to memorize, and they were part of the students’ homework. The second graders also made decade rosaries for mission trips to different countries. They were given to the trips through St. John Vianney. In social studies, the students learned about communities: urban, rural, and suburban. They also learned about the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
            The fourth quarter is the last “hurdle” that has to be jumped over to reach third grade. The second graders have worked hard all year and we wish them good luck in the years of schooling ahead.