Grades 4 – 6 contain multiple class sections, and students are introduced to a departmental program in these grades.
Grades 4 - 6 (M – F, 7:55 – 2:40)
In grade 4, students build fundamental skills to read challenging fiction, nonfiction, and other materials. They continue to learn about the world as well as build vocabulary skills by reading more complicated stories and poems from different cultures and a range of books on history, science, art, and music. Fourth grade students will make important strides in their ability to explain plainly and in detail what a book says, both explicitly and what is implied from its details. In Grade 4, students will write effective summaries, book reports, and descriptions of characters or events using correct grammar and punctuation. In mathematics, Fourth Graders increase computational accuracy and fluency and build on multiplication, division, fractions and decimal skills and use them to solve practical word problems. Weekly Art, Music, Spanish Language, Computer Education and Physical Education classes continue to expand students’ horizons and build life skills. Daily formal religion classes continue and value-oriented lessons are incorporated throughout the curriculum.
In grade 5, students read widely and deeply from a range of high-quality, increasingly challenging fiction and nonfiction sources. They build knowledge about subjects through research projects and respond analytically to literary and informational texts, synthesizing ideas and analyzing information from print and online sources. Fifth graders use higher level thinking to support opinions with reasoned arguments in group discussions. In both short and extended writing projects, students write multi-paragraph stories and essays demonstrating logical sequence of ideas and correct language usage. Computer technology is widely utilized for research and writing. Science, ELA, and Math are taught as separate, departmental subjects. Emphasis in mathematics is on fractional and decimal concepts, analyzing patterns and relationships and graphing data. Computer Education, Art, Music, Physical Education and Spanish Language continue weekly. Religious studies continue to give students a fuller knowledge of scripture and the sacraments.
In grade 6, students apply and improve skills to work with longer, more challenging books and articles, and focus on how authors influence readers, making points and supporting their arguments with evidence and reasoning. Sixth Graders sharpen their ability to write and speak with more clarity and coherence and express their expanding vocabularies in written stories, reports, and essays, devoting attention to precise details in their reading and writing. Linking ELA and math, Sixth Grade students can gain and express information from sources that utilize graphs, charts and various diagrams to convey data. Mathematical concepts, such as rates, ratios and working with variables and expressions begin to lay the foundation for higher education and career readiness. Science, ELA and Math remain separate, departmental subjects, and Computer Education, Art, Music, Physical Education and Spanish Language continue weekly. Religious themes are incorporated in many core subject areas, and Grade 6 students also participate in prayer and Mass services.