Cataldo Catholic School at St Augustine
SPECIALISTS
Music, art, and health & fitness are embraced as a “must-have” at Cataldo. The opportunity for our students to explore their gifts and interests is invaluable.
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Music, drama, art, athletics, aand other offerings are essential to the success of our students. Cataldo is committed to nurturing each student’s talents and encouraging their curiosity by providing a variety of stimulating and creative learning experiences.
Health & Fitness
Classroom Experience
Respect: Yourself, your peers, your school, and your teachers. Accept people for who they are, even when they are different from you, or you don't agree with them.
Effort: We should give our best effort in everything we do in all areas of life. Effort is about trying to get something done, even if it doesn't always work out.
Courage: It takes courage to try something new, especially around our peers. Being brave does not mean we are not scared; it means we try new things despite that fear.
Cataldo’s fitness program focuses on building the skills required for students to participate with confidence by using a small group approach to allow for individual growth. During our units, students will have the opportunity to incorporate those skills into games of varying difficulty, learning the rules, strategy, and cognitive approach to them as well. All lesson plans within a unit are designed to be age and developmentally appropriate, so multiple grades participating in the same unit will rarely have the same class experience.
Developing a healthy lifestyle is a commitment that requires us to be willing to consistently learn and grow in regard to both physical activity and healthy living. The Health and Fitness program at Cataldo strives for both. Our health program one day a week for each class in 3rd – 6th grade. These classes address nutrition, hygiene, rest and activity levels, screen time, and more. We also discuss how to prioritize our health and stress levels, as age appropriate.
Students in 7th and 8th grade have the opportunity to approach Health & Fitness as an elective, while still fulfilling their education requirement. We offer two different courses: Health & Fitness and Team Sports, with both classes including health education.
Music
All classes from kindergarten through 6th grade, attend music class twice a week. In 7th and 8th grade, music is offered as an elective. Led by the ever talented, Jenna Solberg, our music program brings out the song in each child. Mrs. Solberg offers an incredible after school Drama program as well as Strings.
Classroom Experience
K-2nd Grade: Through movement, playing instruments, and singing, students will be developing their grade level music concepts of steady beat, rhythm, beat vs. rhythm, high/low, soft/loud, pitched vs. unpitched instruments, instrument families of the orchestra, grade-level based solfege and basic music composition. Students also participate in the Christmas Program and the Spring K-2 musical.
3rd-4th Grade: Through movement, playing instruments, and singing, students will be continuing to develop their grade level music concepts of beat, rhythm, beat vs. rhythm, dynamics, tempo, timbre, pitches on the staff, instruments of the orchestra, recognizing musical instrument voices, solfege, and music composition and notation. The recorder, ukulele and guitar will also be taught. Students also participate in the Christmas Program and students in 3rd grade participate in a Spring Program.
5th-6th Grade: Through movement, playing instruments, and singing, students will continue to develop their grade level music concepts of beat, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, timbre, pitches on the staff, solfege, sight singing, music composition and singing in a choral setting. Instruments taught include the recorder, ukulele, and guitar. 5th and 6thgrade students participate in the Christmas Program.
Jr. High Drama Elective: This class gives Junior High students a basic overview of drama as well as the opportunity to participate in the current year's main stage production. Exploring history, terminology, stagecraft, and the many aspects of theatre will take a hands-on approach. Students will be working with production skills such as acting (vocal & physical), lights, sound, costumes, makeup, building set, and directing. We will also focus on life-long skills such as a positive work ethic, organizational skills, developing the responsibility that come with freedom, developing cooperative and supportive teams, and building self-confidence.
Junior High Music Ministry Elective: Students in this class plan, prepare, and present the music for the weekly student Masses. Students have the option to cantor (sing) or play an instrument.
Junior High Rock Band Elective: Students will get to sing or learn a rock band instrument as they participate and perform in a real rock band. Students will perform in a Spring Concert.
Visual Arts
In the art room, students will not only learn about art history and the principles and elements of art, but will develop their ability to problem solve, think independently, and build self-confidence and creative ability. Cataldo’s art program is led by Elizabeth Lancaster, an experienced classroom teacher and practicing artist. Preschool through 8th grade students learn about the elements and principals of art – such as form, shape, color and texture – by creating their own artwork.
By exposing students to historical context and a range of world-class artists, Mrs. Lancaster introduces students to various art techniques and forms. Student art is on display throughout the school and Spokane community over the course of the school year.
Classroom Experience
Kindergarten and First Grade: Students are exposed to a variety of artists, such as Matisse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Klee, Kandinsky and Monet, as well as ancient cave art. Students have the opportunity to practice the following techniques: color mixing, drawing with oil pastels, cutting paper, working with glue, applying pastel resist, and painting with watercolor.
Second Through Fourth Grade: Students learn about and discuss artists such as Klimt, O’Keeffe, Modigliani, Monet, Dan Casado, and Jackson Pollock. Students also study the art of other cultures and create their own pieces inspired by art and culture from Russia, India and Asia. The principles and elements of art are holistically incorporated into every art lesson, while students focus on primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, space and contrast. Students practice the techniques of painting with watercolor and tempera paint, drawing with pencils, chalk and pastels, collaging, and working with clay.
Fifth and Sixth Grade: Students will study artists such as Diego Rivera, Henri Rousseau, Frida Kahlo, and Renoir. Students will also focus on one point perspective drawing, create a 3-D art piece, draw realistically with shading, and draw a still-life. Color theory is taught with an emphasis on tints and shades, as well as how to use a color wheel to create visually pleasing artwork. Students work with the following mediums: paint, chalk, pencil, oil pastel, and paper.