Faculty and Curriculum

What Children Learn – Fifth Grade

Religion – Memory work is preparatory study for confirmation. We do a historical survey of the Life of Christ and a survey of the books of the New Testament.

English/Writing/Spelling – 5th Graders focus on grammar, all parts of speech, and creative writing to enhance their understanding of the written and spoken language. Students are encouraged to express themselves in a variety of creative writing assignments.

Mathematics – 5th Graders focus on the fundamentals in place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, and graph skills. Students are challenged to build skills in problem solving, while working on strengthening and building skills and understanding of fractions, decimals, percents, geometry, and algebraic concepts. Students are encouraged to work at their maximum potential.

Art – 5th Graders use the ARTS ATTACK curriculum to learn the elements and principles of art and drawing in a developmental and sequential way, as well as the art of other artists, cultures and historical periods.

Social Studies – The students explore the beginnings of exploration and colonization of the New World and continue with a study of United States history. The study of American history includes learning how geography impacts people’s lives and occasionally shapes historical events. Students learn map skills and explore in a little more depth the American presidents and others who have helped shape our country. Students are expected to learn how to spell all the states, their capitals, and locate all the states on a map.

Reading/Literature – Students focus on building reading strategies, skills, vocabulary, comprehension and appreciation through several novels, articles and multi-cultural stories, poems and plays found in our reading series. Phonics, spelling, study and language skills are developed through corresponding assignments and love and enjoyment of reading are emphasized. Novels include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Holes.

Science – We emphasize hands on-- minds on approaches to science in fifth grade. No text book is used as most of the time is spent using materials and laboratory experiences to teach the scientific concepts. After an introductory unit on science safety, measurement, and experimentation we study the life on the Illinois prairie. Ecology and wildlife conservation is looked at along with owl pellets labs. Microscopes and microscopic life is emphasized for about eight weeks. Mysterious powders lead us in to a study of chemistry. Structures are built and we learn the scientific concepts of construction. Batteries and bulbs teach us concepts of electricity. Illinois animals are given their due. We end the year studying the weather and how it operates in the Midwest.

Music – Each class of students in grades K-8 meets once each week for a general music class. In these classes, students learn to read musical notation, play a variety of classroom percussion instruments, develop their singing voices, improvise, compose, and express themselves through music. They also listen to and analyze music from a variety of genres, styles, cultures, and historical periods.

Students in fifth through eighth grade also have opportunities to participate in instrumental ensembles. The tone chime choir plays for church services, a Christmas concert, and a variety of other venues. Our band program is part of a community Christian school effort.

Contemporary Choir – (Grades 5-8) Choir at this level is a performance-oriented class focusing on contemporary Christian music prepared for worship services and concert. We also practice secular selections in a variety of styles from different eras and patriotic numbers for performance at the nearby nursing home, and perform with the other choirs in the annual Christmas concert.

Computers and Technology – Each grade has an orientation to learning.com our network, rules and our special site sptigers.info. All grades do unit of keyboarding (typing) skill development each year.

Computer ethics and safety are included each year. We use resources from Learning.com or easy tech. Cybersmart, netsmartz, iSafe, and Renaissance Learning.

In fifth grade, video, desktop publishing, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, web browsing, and database searches are emphasized.

Physical Education – Students are encouraged to develop their motor skills and appreciate the need to continue exercise throughout life.

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St. Paul's Lutheran School - 1780 Career Center Road - Bourbonnais, IL 60914