Grades Third - Fifth

Kathy Davis
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
770-394-2880 ext. 420

At St. Jude the Apostle School, student learning is based on Catholic Doctrine and guided by the educational mission of the Church which embraces three interrelated dimensions: message, service, and community. Our students are valued individuals and our commitment to continuous improvement is imperative in enabling students to become confident, self-directed, culturally aware, lifelong learners.

Writing ( Kindergarten- 8th ):
The Collins Education Associates writing program titled Developing Writing and Thinking Skills Across the Curriculum is taught in all grades. This program presents a model for a writing-across-the-curriculum/writing-to-learn by defining five types of writing assignments and the outcomes expected for each.  The Collins’ program employs challenging and demanding techniques that require the student to be the intellectual worker in the room.  Using frequent writing assignments to increase students’ involvement in lessons, check on their understanding of concepts, and promote their thinking about content all help establish writing efficiency. The program helps students grow as thinkers and writers because it states explicitly what students must do to be successful. St. Jude’s ITBS language scores have increased since our implementation of the Collins’ writing program.

Service Projects ( Kindergarten -8th):
Each child participates in a grade related service project that supports St. Jude’s faith journey of helping and supporting others in and around our community. 

Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade

Third Grade:
In Religion, students learn traditional prayers and the practices of our Catholic faith, attend Mass and Adoration, and learn to pray the Rosary.  The Christ Our Life religion series by Loyola Press stresses the seven sacraments, lives of saints, the liturgical seasons, the Mysteries of the Rosary, sacramentals and parts of the Mass.

Language Arts:
Reading is taught using McGraw Hill Reading series.  The development of basic reading skills continues.  The concepts of comprehension, predictions, story elements, cause/effect, drawing conclusions, and main ideas are a few of the focus areas taught that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. 
McGraw Hill Language presents the parts of speech, mechanics and usage, and its application to writing. The expansion of Spelling concepts and vocabulary are continued.

Handwriting is presented using the Zaner Bloser program with the focus on the practice of correct cursive letter formation.

Everyday Mathematics, published by the Wright Company, develops higher order math thinking skills. Fundamental math concepts and problem solving skills are introduced and practiced daily. Areas of concentration are numeration, operations and computation, patterns, functions, algebra, geometry, measurements and reference frames, data and chance analysis, and fun math learning games.

In Science experimentation and hands on activities are used to develop an understanding of the scientific method, nutrition and digestion, the sun, moon, planets, forms of energy, and types of matter

Social Studies in third grade the study of citizenship, current events, economics, geography, and our government prepares students to be active participants in society.  The text States and Regions by Harcourt Brace concentrates on the in-depth study of the regions of the United States.

Fourth Grade:
Fourth grade begins to place greater emphasis on the students becoming more responsible for their own academic success. The curriculum offers children a broad, rich, and balanced experience that emphasizes content, skills, and concepts with opportunities for independent thinking.

Religion:
The Blest Are We series introduces fourth graders to the goodness of God, Jesus, the Image of God, the Holy Spirit, the Church, social justice, and feasts and holidays. Students attend weekly Mass, Adoration, pray the Rosary, and participate in the Stations of the Cross.

Language Arts:  
The fourth grade Reading experience provides a comprehensive study of literature and vocabulary development.  The McGraw Hill Reading anthology exposes them to all genres of literature while focusing on the extension and broadening of reading skills. Novels related to curriculum areas are read quarterly.

The Spelling program introduces challenging as well as high frequency words for mastery. Students apply decoding skills and phonics in daily work, in their writing, and on their spelling and spelling application tests.

Employing the Collins Writing approach, students use their grammar and spelling skills in their personal, narrative, persuasive, comparative, explanatory, descriptive, creative, and poetry writing.

Zaner Bloser Handwriting practices fluency and legibility of cursive.

Math:
Everyday Mathematics, published by the Wright Company, stresses naming and constructing geometric figures, using numbers and organizing data, multiplication and division, decimals and their use, fractions, perimeter and area, decimals and percents, shapes, weights, volume, capacity, rates, and algebra.  The children expand their knowledge of these concepts through hands-on learning and math games.

Science:
The fourth grade students are engaged in learning about the earth and space, physical and life science, the human body, and scientific inquiry.  All areas are explored through hands-on activities and experimentation.

Social Studies:
Children learn of the early history of our country in Social Studies. Knowledge of Native Americans, Colonization, the Revolutionary War, the new government in the Colonies, growth in America, the Industrial Revolution, Pre-Civil War America/ North and South, and map skills are studied.  

Fifth Grade:
Special emphasis is placed on preparing students for crossing the threshold from elementary to Middle School.  Students are challenged academically and emphasis on organization and independence is stressed.

Religion:
The Blest Are We series is used to guide the children in the study of the Sacraments, Scripture, Church history and the development of Catholicism, Catholic Traditions, and Liturgical life. Participating in weekly Mass, praying the Rosary, and honoring the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are integral to their religious experience. 

Language Arts:
Fifth graders study all genres of literature implementing the McGraw Hill Reading anthology and trade books. The focus on comprehension skills, fluency in reading, reading strategies, and study skills assists students in strengthening basic reading skills.

McGraw Hill Language expands grammar, mechanics, and composition with special emphasis on the parts of speech.  Employing the Collins Writing approach, students continue to use their grammar and spelling skills in their narrative, persuasive, descriptive, creative, and poetry writing.

The Spelling program introduces challenging as well as high frequency words for mastery. Students apply decoding skills and phonics in daily work, and in their writing, and on their spelling and spelling application tests.

Zaner Bloser Handwriting refines cursive skills and handwriting fluency.

Math:
Everyday Mathematics provides a balanced curriculum that stresses operations and computation, geometry, algebra, measurement, fractions, volume, ratios, probability, and problem solving strategies.

Science:
Emphasis is placed on the scientific method, weather/climate, the solar system, living and non-living things, the human body, fitness/nutrition, earth and physical science, and chemistry and is studied through observation and experimentation using the McGraw Hill Science text is studied.

Social Studies:
The United States in Modern Times text explores the Civil War, Reconstruction, inventions and change, WWI & II, the Roaring Twenties, and our nation today. Various projects throughout the year are integrated into the units. Maps and Globes by Steck Vaughn exposes the children to a balanced growth in social studies.

Grades Kindergarten –Second Grades
Grades Sixth - Eighth