St. Catherine of Siena School students embrace the states

The fourth-grade students at St. Catherine of Siena School in West Dundee recently worked and completed a special social studies project on the 50 states.

Students chose one of the states and researched its different components through internet sites and reading nonfiction texts.

They wrote five paragraphs; wrote a speech, practiced their speech on flipgrid before presenting it; and took part in a U.S.A. state parade.

The students paraded their float through the gym while the whole school and their parents watched. In true parade fashion, students also handed out candy to the other students.

"This project was powerful and impactful as it crossed many different content areas while maintaining 100 percent student engagement," said fourth-grade teacher Sally Quinlan. "It is through this type of student centered hands-on learning that students not only engage in their own learning, but also provided life long lessons for future individual growth. Moreover, the students learned how to use technology such as flipgrid to create a video of themselves practicing their speech. The benefits of learning how to public speak will hopefully go with them thorough their formative learning years."

The mission of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School is to offer children a Christ-centered, challenging academic and religious program. St. Catherine school serves families in the Fox Valley area, including Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Gilberts and Carpentersville.

The school is an integral part of the St. Catherine of Siena Parish and the Diocese of Rockford.

St. Catherine offers prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-old students, kindergarten, and first to eighth grade.

St. Catherine of Siena School is located at 845 W. Main St. in West Dundee.

For more information, call (847) 426-4808 or visit st-cath.net.