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Third Grade
Religion
The focus of this year’s study is faith - belief and trust in an all-knowing and all-loving God. The children are presented with the mysteries of faith that Catholics profess in the Creed. Through Old and New Testament events, they learn of God’s saving love for his people and the truths of the faith. Third graders will memorize the Apostles’ Creed and the Confiteor. They also study the mysteries of the rosary. Service projects include sponsoring a child from the Children of God Project, participating in a 3rd grade choir at Friday and some Sunday masses, and managing recycling for the elementary building.
Loyola Press, Christ Our Life, 2016
Social Studies
Third graders analyze the multiple roles that individuals perform in families, workplaces, and communities. Classes are planned so that the students can use different types of maps, discuss the qualities of good citizenship, identify people who made a difference in the community, and gain a basic understanding of structure of government. Students benefit from a weekly Time for Kids magazine and a monthly lesson involving the Raleigh News and Observer newspaper. Other activities incorporated in this subject area include a field trip and possibly theme days. Students study their states, capitals, and state fact trivia.
Text: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, Communities, Adventures in Time and Place, 2005Language Arts
The grammar workshop book includes units on sentences, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Lessons on proofreading and test-taking strategies are also included.
Text: Sadlier Grammar Workshop-2013
Writing
Students learn many writing skills in third grade including researching topics such as saints’ lives, rainforest animals, and famous Black Americans. They also use the Big Three strategy to gather information. They write friendly letters, stories with clear beginning, middle, and end components, paragraphs, and monthly book reports on a variety of genres.
Curriculum Associates, Inc., Quick-Word Handbook for Everyday Writers, 2010Spelling
The spelling program emphasizes learning principles and patterns rather than on simply learning individual words. High-frequency words are included for study as well. Words are compared and contrasted through categorization activities, explorations of synonyms and antonyms, analogies, their use in context, and their origins. Proofreading, writing, dictionary, phonics, and vocabulary practice are included in each weekly unit. Approximately 450 words are studied. Students take weekly spelling tests.
Handwriting
The cursive handwriting program is based on Zaner-Bloser’s newest series. It emphasizes the four keys to legibility: size, shape, slant, and spacing. Lowercase letters are covered first followed by uppercase letters. Connecting the letters with the proper joinings is also stressed. Once the keys to legibility are mastered, effective written communication is the end result.
Text: Zaner-Bloser, Handwriting, 2012Reading
The reading program for third grade exposes the students to quality children’s literature. Skills covered in this text include: vocabulary development, comprehension, phonics and word study, writing, oral language, critical thinking, dictionary and library skills, and speaking and listening skills. The class will read several chapter books together including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and Ramona Quimby, Age 8.
Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt Journeys, Textbook Volume 1-2012, Workbook, Volume 1-2012
Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt Journeys, Textbook Volume 2-2012, Workbook, Volume 2-2012Science
Third grade focuses a hands-on approach to life, earth, and physical science. Students use the tools and processes of scientific inquiry in every lesson, which usually includes a hands-on investigation.
Text: Scott Foresman, Science, 2010Math
The third grade uses the Sadlier-Oxford Progress in Mathematics program. This program includes hands-on activities that help them understand and apply concepts from number sense, measurement, geometric sense, probability and statistics, and algebraic sense. The students use a text book, and they have a workbook which has practice exercises which reinforce what they have learned in class. Sadlier emphasizes reasoning and using the Read, Plan, Solve, Check system. Children will demonstrate mastery of their multiplication and division facts this year.
Text: Sadlier-Oxford, Progress in Mathematics, 2014, Workbook-2014
Fourth Grade
Religion
The fourth grade program focuses on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes as guides for living. The students use these guidelines and apply them to their lives. This program is supplemented in the classroom with opportunities for prayer, scripture study, and service projects. The fourth grade also concentrates on the mass and Sunday gospels.
Text: Loyola Press, Christ Our Life, 2009
Pflaum, Venture Magazine, 2004Social Studies
Fourth graders analyze the historical events, people, and places in North Carolina. The program emphasizes strong and effective map skills and the use of graphs and charts. Students will investigate the interaction between the people of North Carolina and their environment. Citizenship, American values, and responsibility toward family and community are fostered through active participation by all students.
Text: MacMillian/McGraw-Hill, North Carolina, 2005Language Arts
The fourth grade language arts program is designed to focus on all aspects of the English language. A spelling textbook focuses on a family of words each week. The English component emphasizes grammar, speaking, and listening. The writing program stresses the writing process and the traits of good writing. The writing program includes a variety of both fiction and expository writing.
Text: Sadlier Oxford, Grammar Workshop, 2008
Harcourt, Trophies Spelling, 2007Reading
The fourth grade reading curriculum uses a basal reader as the basis of its program. This program uses a wide variety of literary genre to study vocabulary, word skills, comprehension skills, phonics, and literary styles. In addition to the basal reader, the students will read and study several novels. Literature circles, book reports, library time, read alouds and DEAR (drop everything and read) time are used to encourage recreational reading.
Text: Harcourt, Trophies, 2007Science
The fourth grade science program strives to spark the students’ curiosity of the world around them. Through knowledge, investigation, and exploration, the children will experience success in science. The units of study include earth science, life science, and physical science. Students use the tools and process of scientific inquiry in each unit of study which includes several hands-on investigations.
Text: Scott Foresman, Science, 2010Math
The fourth grade math program continues to build on the prior mathematic knowledge of the students. This is done with daily math lessons that focus on a new skill while reviewing other skills. Lessons will introduce and reinforce skills that include numbers, numeration, operations, problem solving, measurement, estimation, graphs and charts, geometry, probability, time, and algebraic concepts.
Text: Progress in Mathematics, Sadlier-Oxford 2006
Fifth Grade
Religion
Fifth grade focuses on the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the center of Christian life. The program also takes an in-depth look at the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The children are introduced to everyone’s call to holiness through our vocations. Students use the Bible to reference scripture, and they have an opportunity to prepare for prayer services and a class liturgy. Fifth graders review the fifth through the tenth commandments and learn about the works of mercy. Throughout the program, the children are encouraged to make their lives joyful and loving responses to God. At the end of the year, Family Life is taught through the Church teachings, the religion text, and the Benziger Family Life Series.
Text: Loyola Press; Christ, Our Life, We Worship, 2009
Benziger Publishing Co., Benziger Family Life, 2001
Social Studies
The fifth grade social studies curriculum focuses on the geographic regions of the United States, Canada, Mexico and selected countries of Central America, from new world exploration and colonization through the American Revolution. The new Diocesan social studies curriculum incorporates the goals and objectives of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the National Standards for Social Studies, as well as the six Diocesan strands including Catholic ideals of citizenship; civics and government; history; geography; economics; cultures; customs and diversity.
Text: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, Our Nation- Beginnings through 1877, 2005Language Arts
The fifth grade language arts program focuses on studying the eight parts of speech, diagramming sentences, and writing: letter writing, descriptive, character development, story elements, and mechanics. Speaking and listening skills are also part of the program, as well as working on library and dictionary skills with an emphasis on using resource books.
The vocabulary program consists of the study of 192 key words presented in sixteen units. The work of each unit is divided into a five-part structure: definitions, match the meaning, synonyms and antonyms, completing the sentence, and word association.
Text: Loyola University Press, Voyages in English, 2006
Sadlier-Oxford, Vocabulary Workshop, 2006Reading
The fifth grade reading curriculum is designed to expose students to a variety of genre through the basal reader while developing and reinforcing skill that include cause and effect, fact and opinion, and making judgments. This new series places emphasis on strategic and interactive comprehension instruction. The curriculum also includes a literature circle component in the spring semester.
Text: Harcourt, Distant Voyages, 2007Science
The fifth grade science curriculum includes the following strands: life science; earth science; and physical science; as well as nature of science strand that develops the concept of the scientific process.
Students participate in a variety of small group hands-on activities that are designed to reinforce the concepts presented in the units of study.
Text: Pearson Scott Foresman, Science, 2010Math
The fifth grade math program is a cognitive structure that builds on prior learning. Students in the fifth grade continue to build on skills from previous years. Mental math and facts practices are part of the daily routine. Lessons will focus on understanding and applying concepts through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with whole numbers, fractions, improper fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals. Fifth graders use mathematical reasoning to solve problems. Also included through the year is the use of relationships in geometry, measurement, graphing, number lines, averages, percents, and algebraic concepts. Math Superstars is incorporated into the program . This program offers multi-level word problems and encourages independent learning.
Text: Sadlier-Oxford, Progress in Mathematics, 2006