Mission

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is committed to promoting academic excellence while encouraging the development of each student in the spiritual and moral values of Jesus Christ according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Through Catholic values, each student is challenged to develop their personal potential and to be self-disciplined, reverent, and compassionate.

Classes are self-contained in preschool-5th grade and departmentalized in grades 6-8. Language Arts, Social Sciences, Math, Science, Theology, Music, and Band divide the coursework for students in these grades. With a strong focus on spiritual development and scholastic core subjects, OLL consistently scores above both Montana and National averages on the NWEA MAP assessment.

At OLL, all students are encouraged to seek truth and knowledge, share their discoveries with those around them, and use their gifts and talents to serve others. Whether it be diligently studying mathematics or reading to a "buddy" in a younger grade, our students are constantly developing their gifts and talents so that they are prepared to act as servant leaders in a global community and glorify God through their lives.

    PRE-SCHOOL

    PRE-SCHOOL

    Preschool is all about learning through play!

    Our preschool students spend their days working on fine motor skills through building, coloring, cutting, and sorting.

    Gross motor skills are developed through outdoor playtime, games in the gym, and theme-based activities.

    Each month our preschool classroom explores new themes, such as rainforest, camping, dinosaurs, under the sea, and so many more. We use these themes to drive our learning with activities, printables, science experiments, dramatic play, group discussions, problem solving, and art.

    We cover handwriting, numbers, letters, counting, colors, weather, Bible stories, and calendar, and we build on those skills throughout the year.

    We believe these little bodies are made to move, so we keep the sitting to a minimum with free time, outside time, dance breaks, and quick walks.

    KINDERGARTEN

    Kindergarten is the year where a student's understanding of language really takes off. Their own language will become more structured and understandable, and reading and writing skills will emerge and advance.

    As the year progresses, students at OLL will be able to understand basic sentence structure and punctuation, print letters in both lowercase and uppercase, and begin to read age-appropriate books by themselves. To accomplish this, we use the Journeys Reading Series.

    In mathematics, children learn the names of numbers and how to count in sequence. We count objects, play math games, and learn geometry by recognizing shapes in our world. We use the Houghton Mifflin Textbook as well as the Abeka Arithmetic program to teach mathematical concepts.

    We use several resources to study science and social studies. Students dive into Weekly Readers, Mystery Doug videos, and other fun and exciting activities that are found to excite students about their world.

    Students read (often through read-aloud) and discuss Bible stores, participate in the We Believe curriculum, learn prayers, and attend Mass to learn about the Catholic faith.

    One of the unique opportunities that kindergarten has is learning through activities, play, and special days. During the year, we celebrate days like Superhero Day, Hawaii Day, Knight Day, and all the holidays. We celebrate Armed Forces Week, Dinosaur Week, Space Week, and Dr. Seuss Week. Each Thursday students participate in STEM activities that relate to the Bible.

    FIRST GRADE

    FIRST GRADE

    The reading process in first grade builds crucial language skills in reading, spelling, and writing in a variety of ways. Students will practice working with letters and their sounds while taking the first steps to become independent readers. This comprehensive approach is preferred for phonemic instruction.

    We use the Journeys Reading Series. This program uses Shared Reading of anchor texts to allow for oral language development, comprehension strategies, and fluency. The Writing Traits are organized to complement the anchor texts. The increased practice, as well as, access to information about writing helps children feel more comfortable about their own writings. In addition, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, IEW. IEW's unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity.

    Abeka Math is used in first grade for a foundation of mathematics. Abeka uses a spiral approach- building from the simple to the complex, with frequent review and application within each lesson. Since repetition is the key to learning, concepts are truly learned-and remembered.

    In Science, we use the Macmillan/McGraw/Hill Program as well as Mystery Doug videos. We do various chapter and unit activities building the student's knowledge of life science, earth science, and physical science. We also participate in STEM bins to teach the engineering process.

    In Social Studies, we use the Harcourt Program as well as Scholastic News. We study various chapter and unit activities exploring communities, history, geography, and government.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum. Students learn about the Catholic faith through Bible study, sacrament study, attending mass, and participating in prayer.

    SECOND GRADE

    SECOND GRADE

    Students will have a solid grasp of reading fundamentals with phonemic skills, learning new vocabulary, and comprehension of text. As they increase their reading skills, they will become more fluent readers, read with expression, and choose more complex content. Their writing will be strengthened by practicing their grammar and spelling skills, as well as learning different styles of composition and understanding the writing process.

    We use the Journeys Reading Series. This program uses Shared Reading of anchor texts to allow for oral language development, comprehension strategies, and fluency. The Writing Traits are organized to compliment the anchor texts. The increased practice, as well as, access to information about writing will help children feel more comfortable about their own writings. Second grade students are also taught the Haggarty Phonemic Awareness program. To teach writing skills, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, IEW. IEW's unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Students in the second grade will start their journey of writing in cursive using the D'nealian approach.

    A combination of Houghton Mifflin and Abeka Math are used in second grade to build on the student's foundation of mathematics. Abeka uses a spiral approach- building from the simple to the complex, with frequent review and application within each lesson. Since repetition is the key to learning, concepts are truly learned-and remembered. Houghton Mifflin is a unit based approach to dive deeply into new concepts that are being seen for the first time.

    In Science, we use the Macmillan/McGraw/Hill Program. We do various chapter and unit activities building the student's knowledge of life science, earth science, and physical science. Special projects include STEAM activities, Hairy Potatoes, Leap Frog, and Butterfly gardens.

    In Social Studies, we use the Harcourt: Our Communities Program. We study various chapter and unit activities exploring communities, history, geography, and government. A few staples of the second grade program include a presidential report and a class project to create a community and government based on the children's book Roxaboxen by Barbara Cooney.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Sadlier Company Curriculum entitled We Believe as well as seasonally liturgical journals to help develop a stronger and more personal relationship with God. An exciting addition to both our writing and religion curriculum is an IEW program called Bible Heroes using Bible stories to teach outlining, grammar, and writing with the bonus understanding of learning our Bible stories.Students also learn about the Catholic faith through attending mass and participating in prayer.

    THIRD GRADE

    THIRD GRADE

    Students will make the switch from learning to read to reading to learn. Learning is focused on enjoying and becoming familiar with a variety of genres. They will read, discuss, reflect, and respond while strengthening fluency and comprehension skills. Students will also increase their reading and writing skills with phonics and vocabulary activities. They will learn about the writing process and develop knowledge of the rules of grammar.

    We use the Journeys Reading Series as well as novel sets in third grade. This combination allows for oral language development, comprehension strategies, and fluency. The Journeys program, in addition, strengthens spelling/phonics skills and writing for communication. Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Third grade students will also reinforce their mastery of writing in cursive through the year.

    For mathematics, the third grade uses the Houghton Mifflin Series. Students will increase their mastery of basic math facts including multiplication and division. We also dive into units on place value, money, probability & data, measurement, and fractions & decimals.

    In Science, we use the Macmillan/McGraw/Hill Program. We do various chapter and unit activities building the student's knowledge of life science, earth science, and physical science. For example: students will build an ecosystem diorama or poster. We also do experiments as opportunities present themselves such as dissecting owl pellets.

    In Social Studies, we use the Harcourt: Our Communities Program. We study various chapter and unit activities exploring communities, history, geography, and government.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum. Students learn about the Catholic faith through Bible study, sacrament study, attending mass, and participating in prayer.

    FOURTH GRADE

    FOURTH GRADE

    As students increase their learning independence, they will read chapter books and nonfiction independently. By reading a variety of texts, they deepen their comprehension and are able to read passages and then answer questions about the content. They are able to use context to figure out the meaning of unknown words as well as the ability to look them up in a dictionary or glossary. In addition, students are able to retell familiar stories, summarize the main ideas and plot, and identify the characters and settings.

    We use the Journeys Reading Series to teach reading, spelling, and grammar. Students will (ditto)read several chapter books to strengthen their reading and comprehension skills. Mentor sentences are used to teach a foundation of the structure of sentences as well as parts of speech.Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity.

    Students will read:

    • Wonder by RJ Palacio
    • The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
    • Greek Myths focusing on theme and allusion
    • Poetry
    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum. Students learn about the Catholic faith through Bible study, sacrament study, attending mass, and participating in prayer.

    Mathematics is taught using the Houghton Mifflin Series. Fourth grade students will increase their understanding and mastery of skills in computation of fractions, decimals, and whole numbers; probability and data; measurement and geography; and begin Algebra computations.

    In Social Studies, students use the Harcourt Montana History series and participate in a wax museum presentation. Native American stories and legends are studied from the Indian Education For All Component. For Science, the classrooms use the MacMillan/McGraw-Hill series which gives the students an overview and well-rounded foundation of knowledge in Earth and Space, Life, and Physical Science. Students regularly use the computer lab to strengthen their typing skills for future use in technology.

    FIFTH GRADE

    FIFTH GRADE

    In fifth grade students learn to identify themes, make inferences, and draw conclusions. They will grow in their understanding and use of strategies to increase their level of comprehension and continue to cultivate appreciation for reading and their ability to communicate through writing.

    Students will read:

    • Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
    • Nine, Ten by Nora Baskin
    • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
    • The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
    • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
    We also use the Journeys Reading Series as well to strengthen comprehension skills, teach spelling, and reinforce grammar. Mentor sentences are used to teach a foundation of the structure of sentences as well as root/suffix/prefix weekly work. Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Fifth grade students will participate in the Great Falls Annual Charlie Russell Essay Contest through CMR Museum.

    Mathematics is taught using the Houghton Mifflin Series. Fifth grade students will increase their understanding and mastery of skills in computation of fractions, decimals, and whole numbers; probability and data; measurement and geography; and begin Algebra computations.

    In Social Studies, students use the Harcourt American History series and participate in a digital citizenship unit. For Science, the classrooms use the MacMillan/McGraw-Hill series which gives the students an overview and well-rounded foundation of knowledge in Earth and Space, Life, and Physical Science. Students regularly use the computer lab to strengthen their typing skills and learn how to create documents, spreadsheets, and slideshow presentations for future use in technology.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum. Students learn about the Catholic faith through Bible study, sacrament study, attending mass, and participating in prayer.

    SIXTH GRADE

    SIXTH GRADE

    The English Language Arts course in sixth grade focuses on challenging students in developing reading comprehension skills through a variety of texts. Fictional class novels are explored in depth focusing on vocabulary, author's perspective, literary devices, and a deeper comprehension of the reading. Non-fictional texts are provided through excerpts to study and enhance the students' further development in these skills.

    Novels may include:

    • The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
    • The Cay by Theodore Taylor
    • The Giver by Lois Lowry
    • The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
    • Grimm's Fairy Tales


    In addition to class novels, students will independently read a novel of their choice each quarter. They use this novel to prepare a presentation using a variety of approaches including: Prezi, Animoto, Google Slides, Podcasts, and Glogster.

    Students use a spiraling grammar approach to master grammar. Daily students edit, label, and fix grammatical errors, parts of speech, punctuation, voice, tense, etc. Topics are reviewed weekly to ensure mastery. Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Students will study Latin and Greek roots through the Prestwick House vocabulary program, and they will analyze and memorize poetry weekly. Students regularly use the computer lab to strengthen their typing skills and learn how to create documents, spreadsheets, and slideshow presentations for future use in technology.

    Middle school students at OLL are blessed to have a double block of Communication Arts daily to strengthen their reading, speaking, and writing skills- as we believe Communication Arts to be the foundation of knowledge and citizenship.

    Mathematics in the sixth grade uses two programs: 5-A-Day Math and Abeka Math 6. These are spiraling programs designed to solidify the students' mastery of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. These skills are used interchangeably each day. Mathematics vocabulary is also stressed through weekly memory tests. Students will also encounter problems in geometry, algebra, probability, and measurement throughout the year.

    Earth Science: The McGraw-Hill Earth Science program continues to introduce basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. This program engages students with project-based learning activities to demonstrate how science solves real-world problems. Through reading and exploration, students meet science standards and integrate scientific and engineering practices in the classroom.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum by Sophia Institute.. The students will spend the year completing an overview of the Old Testament with special emphasis on the stories of Salvation History. In addition to their curriculum, middle schools experience a robust participation in the Sacraments and devotional life of the Church. Students attend Mass bi-weekly as well as regular praying of the Rosary, Eucharitic Adoration, praying the Stations of the Cross, introductions to novenas and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, as well as a foundation in memorized prayer. The Saints are introduced more in depth with a focus on several saints over the course of the year. Middle school students also host a Saint Wax Museum for the whole school to attend. The students research and present in costume the saint of their choice.

    The Social Studies at OLL Middle School is an academically rigorous program that focuses on depth of knowledge and critical thinking. We use the McGraw Hill/Glencoe series in 6th Grade World History, 7th Grade Geography and 8th Grade American History. In Montana History we use the Montana Historical Society textbook, Stories of the Land. Our goal is to provide our middle school students with all the academic tools and strategies they will need to be successful as they continue their education. Our students do research, work with maps, analyze opinion and facts and develop presentations of their work in several formats including prezis, powerpoints, websites, notes, and storyboards. They become skilled in the analysis and evaluation of information and its sources and are able to communicate their views thoughtfully and logically. We emphasize the need to acquire, interpret and evaluate information from a variety of sources including the textbook, primary documents, videos and the internet.

    SEVENTH GRADE

    SEVENTH GRADE

    The English Language Arts course in seventh grade focuses on challenging students in developing reading comprehension skills through a variety of texts. Fictional class novels are explored in depth focusing on vocabulary, author's perspective, literary devices, and a deeper comprehension of the reading. Non-fictional texts are provided through excerpts to study and enhance the students' further development in these skills.

    Novels may include:

    • The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
    • The Call of the Wild by Jack London
    • Holocaust Unit books including: Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz, The Diary of Anne Frank,
    • Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein, Parallell Journeys by Alfons Heck, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.
    • Short Stories including Gift of the Magi, The Necklace, Thank you Ma'am, Lamb to Slaughter, and others.


    In addition to class novels, students will independently read a novel of their choice each quarter. They use this novel to prepare a presentation using a variety of approaches including: Prezi, Animoto book trailer, Google Slides, Podcasts and Glogster.

    Students use a spiraling grammar approach to master grammar. Daily students edit, label, and fix grammatical errors, parts of speech, punctuation, voice, tense, etc. Topics are reviewed weekly to ensure mastery. Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Students will study Latin and Greek roots through the Prestwick House vocabulary program, and they will analyze and memorize poetry weekly. Students regularly use the computer lab to strengthen their typing skills and learn how to create documents, spreadsheets, and slideshow presentations for future use in technology.

    Middle school students at OLL are blessed to have a double block of Communication Arts daily to strengthen their reading, speaking, and writing skills- as we believe Communication Arts to be the foundation of knowledge and citizenship.

    We use McDougal Littell Math textbook in 7th grade Math at Our Lady of Lourdes. It emphasizes skill practice and problem-solving while introducing the student to the use of technology in Math. This is the year that students begin to encounter more complicated numbers, convoluted multi-step exercises, and mathematical situations where it is not always clear how to proceed. This year builds on the firm computational foundation that the students received in the lower grades at OLL. Students need to practice skills and strategies in order to become comfortable and confident using them. 7th grade math provides the practice and review necessary to accomplish this.

    The Social Studies at OLL Middle School is an academically rigorous program that focuses on depth of knowledge and critical thinking. We use the McGraw Hill/Glencoe series in 6th Grade World History, 7th Grade Geography and 8th Grade American History. In Montana History we use the Montana Historical Society textbook, Stories of the Land. Our goal is to provide our middle school students with all the academic tools and strategies they will need to be successful as they continue their education. Our students do research, work with maps, analyze opinion and facts and develop presentations of their work in several formats including prezis, powerpoints, websites, notes, and storyboards. They become skilled in the analysis and evaluation of information and its sources and are able to communicate their views thoughtfully and logically. We emphasize the need to acquire, interpret and evaluate information from a variety of sources including the textbook, primary documents, videos and the internet.

    Life Science: The McGraw-Hill Life Science program continues to introduce basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. This program engages students with project-based learning activities to demonstrate how science solves real-world problems. Through reading and exploration, students meet science standards and integrate scientific and engineering practices in the classroom.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum by Sophia Institute.. The students will spend the year completing an overview of the Gospels and an in depth study of the Sacraments of the Church. The Theology of the Body curriculum, which is based on the teaching of Pope St. John Paul II, is taught in the spring of 7th grade. In addition to their curriculum, middle schools experience a robust participation in the Sacraments and devotional life of the Church. Students attend Mass bi-weekly as well as regular praying of the Rosary, Eucharitic Adoration, praying the Stations of the Cross, introductions to novenas and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, as well as a foundation in memorized prayer. The Saints are introduced more in depth with a focus on several saints over the course of the year. Middle school students also host a Saint Wax Museum for the whole school to attend. The students research and present in costume the saint of their choice.

    EIGHTH GRADE

    EIGHTH GRADE

    The English Language Arts course in eighth grade focuses on challenging students in developing reading comprehension skills through a variety of texts. Fictional class novels are explored in depth focusing on vocabulary, author's perspective, literary devices, and a deeper comprehension of the reading. Non-fictional texts are provided through excerpts to study and enhance the students' further development in these skills.

    Novels may include:

    • The Outsiders by SE Hinton
    • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
    • Life of Pi by Yann Martel
    • The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens


    In addition to class novels, 8th grade students participate in an independent reading program called Book of the Month. Each month they choose a book from a list of genres which they will read and create a presentation using the following approaches: Prezi, Google Slides, Podcast, Animoto Book trailer, Booktalk and others.

    Students use a spiraling grammar approach to master grammar. Daily students edit, label, and fix grammatical errors, parts of speech, punctuation, voice, tense, etc. Topics are reviewed weekly to ensure mastery. Furthermore, we use the Institute for Excellence in Writing, known as IEW. IEW's unique modeling approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. Students will complete the year by creating their own children's chapter book after studying another successful author. Students study Latin and Greek roots through the Prestwick House vocabulary program, and they will analyze and memorize poetry weekly. Students regularly use the computer lab to strengthen their typing skills and learn how to create documents, spreadsheets, websites, and slideshow presentations for future use in technology.

    Middle school students at OLL are blessed to have a double block of Communication Arts daily to strengthen their reading, speaking, and writing skills- as we believe Communication Arts to be the foundation of knowledge and citizenship.

    Physical Science: The McGraw-Hill Physical Science program continues to introduce basic physics and chemistry concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. This program engages students with project-based learning activities to demonstrate how science solves real-world problems. Through reading and hands-on exploration, students meet science standards and integrate scientific and engineering practices in the classroom. They will leave our classroom with the tools needed for success in the high school classroom.

    Religious studies in the classroom use the Spirit of Truth Curriculum by Sophia Institute.. The students will spend the year completing an overview of Church History. Our 8th graders, as leader of the school, participate in a weekly assignment that allows them to seek out students throughout the school practicing virtues. They in turn recognize those students in a written note and a verbal presentation. During Holy week, the 8th graders also prepare a special event for the school in preparation for Easter. In addition to their curriculum, middle schools experience a robust participation in the Sacraments and devotional life of the Church. Students attend Mass bi-weekly as well as regular praying of the Rosary, Eucharitic Adoration, praying the Stations of the Cross, introductions to novenas and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, as well as a foundation in memorized prayer. The Saints are introduced more in depth with a focus on several saints over the course of the year. Middle school students also host a Saint Wax Museum for the whole school to attend. The students research and present in costume the saint of their choice.

    The Social Studies at OLL Middle School is an academically rigorous program that focuses on depth of knowledge and critical thinking. We use the McGraw Hill/Glencoe series in 6th Grade World History, 7th Grade Geography and 8th Grade American History. In Montana History we use the Montana Historical Society textbook, Stories of the Land. Our goal is to provide our middle school students with all the academic tools and strategies they will need to be successful as they continue their education. Our students do research, work with maps, analyze opinion and facts, and develop presentations of their work in several formats including prezis, powerpoints, websites, notes, and storyboards. They become skilled in the analysis and evaluation of information and its sources and are able to communicate their views thoughtfully and logically. We emphasize the need to acquire, interpret, and evaluate information from a variety of sources including the textbook, primary documents, videos, and the internet.

    Our Lady of Lourdes uses the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project Series in 8th Grade. This approach views math as a language with its own rules and syntax. It is based on the belief that the power of mathematics lies in its ability to be applied in many diverse situations, and that students need to learn to make wise decisions about how to solve those situations. This is the year that the students begin to think about the why of math and to understand that there is seldom only one way to solve a mathematical problem. Our text emphasizes the skills needed for reliable computation and the ability to apply those skills when tackling problems. Each lesson has reading followed by four types of questions: Covering the Ideas, Applying the Mathematics, Review, and Exploration, so the student is learning new concepts while reviewing skills that make that job easier. Calculators and other applicable technology is used in this curriculum.