Archbishop Bergan Elementary School commits to recognizing the individual learning styles and abilities of each child. As a result the school strives to provide a program that extends beyond the State and Archdiocesan standards. A differentiated curriculum that promotes creative and critical thinking skills, increases student self-esteem, and enhances a sense of personal competence and Catholic responsibility. The core curriculum includes: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Religion.

View our Curriculum Standards

Click Here

Archdiocese of Omaha Standards

The purpose of this Standards-based curriculum is to assist administrators and teachers of the Archdiocese of Omaha in teaching in the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools. These guides contain clear expectations for Education Standards as well as specific Nebraska Standards relating to each Program Standard. It is intended that this material be used in the development of local curriculum plans and for the training of teachers.  Administrators will use this curriculum to assist teachers in applying the desired Education Standards to the specific grade levels. Teachers will use this curriculum as the basis for planning their lessons for the year. Use of the curriculum will assist students in attaining the Standards for which all are accountable. Teachers are required to spend 80% of their time teaching strictly from the curriculum guide with the remaining 20% of their time teaching concepts that enhance the curriculum. Learn more about the Archdiocese of Omaha K-12 Standards visit our web site or click -       http://berganknights.org/eled_sl_standards.htm 

The Daily 5

The Daily 5 is a series of literacy tasks which students complete daily while the teacher meets with small groups or confers with individuals.  The Daily 5 is more than a management system or a curriculum framework – it is a structure that will help students develop the daily habits of reading, writing and working with peers that will lead to a lifetime of independent literacy.

Learn more about The Daily 5  - http://www.the2sisters.com/the_daily_5.html

Guided Reading

Guided reading is a teaching approach designed to help individual students learn how to process a variety of increasingly challenging texts with understanding and fluency.  Guided reading occurs in a small-group context because the small group allows for interactions among reading that benefit them all.  The teacher selects and introduces texts to readers, sometimes supports them while reading the text, engages the readers in a discussion, and makes teaching points after the reading.  Sometimes, after reading, the teacher extends the meaning of the text through writing, text analysis, or another learning experience.  The lessons also may include work with words based on the specific needs of the group (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001).  http://www.heinemann.com/fountasandpinnell/default.aspx

Units of Study - Writing

The Units of Study are a series of books designed to support educators in teaching a rigorous yearlong writing curriculum. This curriculum is an effort to hand over what research has found to be effective and lasting in teaching writing.
Children can be given the opportunities they deserve to grow strong as writers and to approach their schooling as makers of knowledge and composers of meaning. Learn more about Units of Study http://www.unitsofstudy.com/

SOCIAL STUDIES

Field trips, internet, guest speakers, newspaper, resource books, textbooks.

Learn more about our Social Studies -  Click Here

MATH

Field trips, internet, guest speakers, newspaper, resource books, textbooks, manipulatives. Learn more about our Math-

http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/math2004/math2004_menu.html

SCIENCE

Field trips, internet, guest speakers, newspaper, resource books, textbooks, and experiments.

Learn more about our Science- Click Here

FAITH FIRST – RELIGION

The Faith First Legacy Edition focuses on Catholic faith, religion, and belief. Its goal is to transform children and bring them to a deeper relationship with God through an exposition of their Catholic heritage—its beliefs, moral code, rituals and practices, and life of prayer. To deepen our Religion curriculum, students attend Mass once a week, adoration once a month, pray the Rosary daily in October and May, and participate in Service Learning.

To learn more - http://www.faithfirst.com/html/dre/pdfs/aff_fflearndesign.pdf

ART EVERYWHERE

Field trips, internet, guest speakers, newspaper, resource books, textbooks.

Learn more about our art - http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/art_everywhere/index.html

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students receive PE instruction three times per week. Our PE instruction is enhanced with Project Fit America equipment and curriculum. To learn the benefits of Project Fit - http://www.projectfitamerica.org/benefits_schools.html

MUSIC

We have beautiful singers! These lessons are a combination of vocal and instrumental. Our instrumental program exposes children to keyboards, Orff instruments, recorders and hand bells. Students begin playing the Orff instruments in kindergarten. Students are introduced to keyboards in grades 2-5 and learn to play recorders in 4^th grade. Hand bells are taught to grades 3-5.

Besides all of the music that is incorporated into the classroom curriculum, the Christian music that plays over our school intercom to start and end each day is just one more way we are striving to keep music alive in the hearts of our students. We will continue to offer “Cantor Choir” and encourage students to sing everywhere they go…including in the shower!

MEDIA - TECHNOLOGY

Students receive direct instruction in library skills once per week. Students may check out books from the library once a week. To help build a strong reading culture throughout our school, Bergan Elementary utilizes Accelerated Reader. Accelerated Reader (AR) is the most popular and successful reading product of all time. AR’s advanced technology helps

• Make essential reading practice more effective for every student.
• Personalize reading practice to each student’s current level.
• Manage all reading activities including read to, read with, and read independently.
• Assess students’ reading with four types of quizzes: Reading Practice, Vocabulary Practice, Literacy Skills, and Textbook Quizzes.
• Build a lifelong love of reading and learning.

Parents Guide to AR

Students receive direct instruction in technology once per week. Our technology instruction is enhanced by the use of projectors, lap tops, smart boards, and student computers in every classroom. Our computer lab has 30 high speed computers with headphones.

Multiple Intelligences