3rd - 5th

3rd grade uses a variety of strategies and learning styles to meet the learning needs of each student. We aim to motivate them to become independent learners and develop critical thinking skills. Daily teachings include:

• Math
  • Focus on our Core Curriculum, emphasizing multiplication and division skills
• Science
• Social Studies
• Religion
  • The foundation of our learning. Our goal is that each student develops a personal relationship with our Lord that will last a lifetime. Praying takes place in the classroom three times every day. We attend mass weekly and sit with the Kindergarten students to model good behavior. Character development is a focus during religious time because we want to please God in everything we say and do!
• Spelling
• Reading
  • Focus on comprehension and learn strategies to analyze texts
• English
• Writing
• Technology
  • Used to enhance learning through programs like IXL, Brain Pop, Mystery Science, Discovery Education, Fusion Digital Science lessons, and iPads.

In fourth grade, students are expected to work more independently in their thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. Students are taught the core subjects and important life skills like organization, time management, and opportunities to strengthen their work ethic.

• Math
  • Students must know their multiplication facts up to their 12s before entering the classroom. With these basic skills in place, it will make the transition into long-division, fractions, and geometry much smoother.
• Language Arts
  • A combination of reading, grammar/writing, and spelling. Our reading consists of a variety of novels throughout the school year. While reading our novels, we discuss the skills of the main idea, context clues, inferencing, and comprehension. We also discuss virtues, look at the social injustices of novels, and how we are called as Catholics to serve others. 
  • We also focus on formal types of writing, such as narrative, expository, research, poetry, and persuasive essays.  Through our writing, we learn the parts of speech (grammar) and figurative language presented as “SMAPHIO” – similes, metaphors, alliteration, personification, hyperboles, idioms, and onomatopoeia.  Students use the Writing Process and Writing Traits in all of their writing. We also learn spelling patterns & word study using rich vocabulary.
• Science
  • Students learn about matter, energy, plants/animals, and planets. We add hands-on activities using STEM/STEAM projects as culminating ideas for units learned. 
• Social Studies
  • In the first half of the year, we focus on the United States geography by studying the regions of the US. Then we finish our year learning all about Texas History.
• Religion
  • The highlight of our curriculum. We aim to incorporate our faith into all subjects. We do quarterly Current Event projects called “Pray the News.” It allows the students to know what is happening worldwide and how we can best pray/serve those in need. We also learn about the Commandments and beatitudes and find daily ways to live the faith. Fourth grade is a big year for the Saints Project. Students research & dress up as their saints for All Saints Day. Then, they put their skills to the test by participating in our Living Museum. 

Students will learn in whole groups, small groups, and individual settings, and our focus is sharing our strengths and strengthening our weaknesses. Applying our faith to our daily lives through prayer and action, fourth grade is an important year in helping us develop into the person God has always intended for us.

Highlights:

• Saints Living Museum
• Famous African-American Project
• Novel Projects
• Pray the News

Fifth grade is a transition year for students getting ready for Jr. High, making it an extremely important grade level to cement the skills they have gained throughout the previous grades and lay a solid foundation for the years ahead.

• Reading
  • The curriculum focuses on teaching students to understand and develop ideas about texts they read. Students learn to support their ideas through reading texts together as a class and independently. Fifth graders also expand these skills as they write extensively about what they read in each subject.
• Social Studies
  • Focus on United States history, beginning with the colonization of America and continuing through the 20th century, and also how to analyze the reasons behind events, make connections, and compare those events.
• Math
  • Focus on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions. They will expand their knowledge of 2-digit divisors and decimal operations and understand the properties of three-dimensional space.
• Science
  • Students will review information about a good science experiment, the solar system, and will learn about the planets. Students will study atomic theory and the states of matter. They will study the law of conservation of energy, electricity, and its properties and uses in our lives.
  • Our fifth-grade students also experience using their science skills and instill their religious beliefs with first-hand experience on their 4-day trip to The Pines Catholic Environmental Camp.

Highlights:

• The Pines Catholic Camp
• Enterprise City
• Fifth Grade Religious Retreat