Curriculum Summary
Language Arts
Reading
- Expand reading skills: decoding, study skills and comprehension
- Read orally
- Read literature, poetry and trade books
- Write book reports, poetry, and creative pieces
- Listen to stories and novels
English
- Learn about sentences
- Identify and use nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives properly
- Review dictionary and thesaurus skills
- Work with and enjoy poetry
- Sharpen speaking and listening skills
- Home study skills
- Use capital letters correctly
- Build punctuation power
- Creative writing
- Letter writing
Spelling
- Correct use of core spelling words in daily writing and on formal tests
- Learn commonly misspelled words
- Use spelling resources
Mathematics
- Solve addition and subtraction with 2- to 5-digit numbers
- Reasoning and problem-solving strategies
- Understanding place value: compare, order, round & estimate 3- to 9-digit numbers
- Measurement: Metric, concrete experience of time, length, area, volume, capacity, weight and measurement
- Use multiplication and division facts with problem solving and application to 4-digit numbers in multiplication 2-digit in division
- Differentiate and operate fractions and decimals with addition and subtraction
- Geometry
- Classify geometric figures, solve problems, apply knowledge with concrete hands-on experiences
- Graphing
- Create and interpret various types of graphs
- Use objects to develop understanding
- Use of a calculator
Life Science
- Demonstrate understanding of plants getting needed materials and special plant adaptations
- Know how animals get food, find homes, and protect themselves as adaptations
- Understand humans having upright posture, human brain size, and behavior as adaptations
- Learn about parts (stems, roots, leaves), functions of parts, pollination, seeds, reproduction without seeds, and plant uses
Health/Biology
- Know what is in foods, what food does for us, food groups, food pyramid, balanced diet, planning menus
- Demonstrate understanding of parts of digestive system and the functions of each part
- Understand the functions of excretory system
- Understand the parts and function of the ear and eye
Physical Science
- Develop understanding of static electricity and charges
- Acquire knowledge of sending currents long distances, magnets types and uses
- Demonstrate comprehension of what magnets are, what a magnetic field is, electromagnets (uses, usefulness, how they work)
- Show understanding of how minerals form, identification methods, and what ores are
- Demonstrate knowledge of rock formations, change, and types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic)
- Understand rock uses, and the fragility of deserts
Environmental Science
- Learn about acid rain, its traveling distances, characteristics (invisible, harmful to environment)
- Demonstrate understanding of good and harmful ozone, and why depletion is harmful
- Show understanding of greenhouse effect; its causes and how trees help
- Classify endangered animals, and know factors contributing to extinction (humans, poisons, habitat destruction)
Religion
- Through study of the Catholic faith and Gospel message, celebrate God’s love, develop a personal relationship with God, and become an active member of the Catholic community
- Know the Ten Commandments
- Daily Scripture readings and sharing
- Special booklets for Advent and Lent
- Memorize Prayers
- Celebrate Sacrament of Reconciliation
- Christian Service
- Saint Thomas Chastity Curriculum for Fourth grade
Social Studies
- Recognize and use maps, globes, and timelines
- Study the geographic regions of the United States: people, environment and heritage, geography/natural resources, culture, and history
- Research Michigan
