Grades 4-6 Curriculum Guide

Grades 4-6 ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND SYLLABUS Grades 4-6 provide structure and a highly interactive environment where girls learn to apply their skills. During this time, girls gain confidence and their abilities are brought to fruition.

Students are given the opportunity to practice prayer and espacio, take part in reconciliation, attend class and school masses and become closer to God as they learn about the Roman Catholic faith. The students become more aware of their individuality as they grow to see themselves as an essential, integral part of their community. The students have the opportunity to explore and develop intellectual rigor, spirituality, leadership, and creativity. They continue to realize the importance of taking time for quiet prayer and meditation as well as finding a balance between reflection and action. Through peer and community interactions they continue the lifelong process of discovering that individual rights must be balanced with individual responsibilities. They begin to move out from the small “circle of me” toward a growing awareness of the larger world.

Students continue to develop an awareness of social and environmental justice through research, reflection, and interaction on local and global issues. Assuming the role of student representatives and participating in community service provide opportunities for students to continue to learn the elements essential to a democracy and to practice student leadership.

Students gradually learn to take greater responsibility for their own learning. Special attention is given to the development of critical thinking skills, and the ability to communicate both orally and in writing, and the appreciation of intellectual values.

GRADE 4 Art: Students will learn the foundations of fine art through hands-on experience in many media; including charcoal drawing, painting, clay sculpture, and printmaking. Students will gain knowledge of fundamental art techniques and concepts including line, value, color, proportion, perspective, composition, positive/negative shape, and shading. Students will learn how projects fit into the context of art history and emphasis will be placed on studying specific artists, both historical and contemporary. Projects will also incorporate concepts being developed in their other courses.

Language Arts: The students strengthen their reading comprehension and develop new reading skills. The reading curriculum includes selected novels, a play, as well as short stories. Different purposes for writing are practiced, such as writing for enjoyment and writing to inform. Paragraph structure, correct sentence composition, and the parts of speech are reinforced. Students are engaged in weekly studies of vocabulary units.

Mandarin Chinese: This course is designed for Fourth Graders in their fourth year of study of Mandarin. This course is focused on developing skills of listening, comprehension and speech in Chinese. Students are required to master the Pinyin and the four tones.

Basic Chinese grammar and daily vocabulary are also introduced. In addition, students are required to learn about Chinese cultures and customs.

Mathematics: The mathematics program emphasizes the development of skills and topics in fractions, problem-solving, measurement, Algebra, and computation. The skills help students to develop a true mathematical understanding so that they not only calculate the answer but also have the ability to explain the answer and how to apply the calculation. Thus, they are working to improve overall critical thinking skills.

Music: Vocal/Choral Music in Fourth Grade is a continuation and expansion of the students' musical knowledge and creativity. Students begin to experience choral music by singing in two-part harmony, further

developing their listening skills. Students will begin to develop good choral technique, including part-singing, vocal production, proper posture, and balance and blend, in preparation for performances at school concerts and events. The Fourth Grade music history component focuses on Late Romantic through 20th Century Music.

Woodwinds Students will combine what they have learned about music reading and rhythm with the mechanics of playing a woodwind instrument. During this year of introduction to the flute or clarinet, the students will focus on sound production and practice habits. Through knowledge and preparation of her own instrument, the student will learn her important role as a member of a music ensemble.

Violin Students who elect to participate in the Fourth Grade violin class will receive a complete review or introduction to the violin. Skills necessary for sound production, music theory, good practice habits, proper technique and creative concepts such as composition and improvisation are also addressed. Students will play original selections based on the skill-levels of the individuals in the class. Repertoire for this class will represent a variety of styles from classical, bluegrass, jazz, traditional and beyond.

Physical Education: Physical education includes instructional swimming and physical fitness activities. Skill development and rules and regulations are introduced for various team sports including basketball, hockey, football, volleyball, soccer, kickback, softball, and collaborative games.

Students begin to develop appropriate attitudes concerning winning and losing that will lead to acceptable social and emotional behavior. Students will also learn about mind, body and spirit and their relation to health and wellness.

Religion: The religion program focuses on the spiritual and moral development of the child using appropriate catechetical texts and the Goals of Sacred Heart Education. The curriculum focuses on the themes of caring for God’s creations, the significance of being a part of God’s family, and the building of community through our work with the poor and vulnerable. We will give special attention to the lives of the Saints, the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments. The Sacraments of Healing and Sacraments at the Service of Communion are included as a part of teaching the moral dimension of our faith.

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Science: In Science, the students will learn what it means to be a scientist and how to think like a scientist. Fourth Graders learn about the human body, soils, rocks and landforms, and energy and electricity. The students learn through hands-on experiential lessons and there is an

emphasis on reporting their findings in a proper laboratory format. Making observations, data collection, data analysis, and drawing conclusions are critical skills emphasized throughout the course.

Social Studies: Students will study the Regions of the United States. Students will learn about each region's history, geography, government, and economics. As they explore the regions of the United States, students will interact with maps, charts, timelines, and primary sources. They will discover what makes each region unique and what connects each region to each other and the world. As is customary in fourth grade, students will learn about their state and local history.

Spanish: Spanish I Fourth Graders will continue to develop their vocabulary skills. They are expected to integrate the vocabulary into their conversations. They will increase their awareness and knowledge of verb tenses as they are introduced to irregular verbs. Students start to write simple paragraphs in Spanish and continue to develop their oral, written, reading, and listening skills in the target language.

Spanish II The goal of this course is to continue developing the students’ communication abilities in the target language. This is achieved through a variety of activities which focus on further developing the students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The students will also further their appreciation of Hispanic culture by celebrating special Hispanic events and by reading and discussing short stories.

Student Development: ​The student development curriculum in the Intermediate School encourages the students to learn to make wise choices regarding their personal well-being and to practice healthy behaviors. Topics covered throughout the year are: conflict resolution, empathy, self-esteem, responsibility, building friendships, respect for self and others, effective communication, problem solving skills, community building, peacemaking skills, body image, bullying prevention, personal safety, puberty, and drug and alcohol prevention.

Technology: Students are introduced to new laptops in the classroom this year. They are responsible for the care of their school laptops, which includes observation of proper shutdown procedures as well as overnight charging in the laptop cart.

Throughout the year Fourth Grade students continue to explore the programs in the Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite. Google Sheets will be used to learn about data analysis. They will learn more about what it means to be a good Digital Citizen and will learn to organize digital storage using Google Drive. During the coding portion of the class, students will learn coding fundamentals by using Scratch® to make a simple game. Students will engage in expressing their artistic talents using JavaScript and TinkerCad to make their own designs. These will be displayed during our Art Show at the end of the school year. During Engineering Week, students will explore different fields of engineering and incorporate it into a presentation shared with their classmates. During the building phase, fourth graders will make a knee brace, solar car and make other projects that coincide with our Science Curriculum.

GRADE 5 Language Arts: Literature Because of vivid and thought-provoking literature selections, the students will have the framework for practicing reading comprehension, critical thinking, speaking, and writing. Our shared inquiry approach helps the classroom to be student-centered, thus building a community of thinkers who respect one another and value their own contributions. Through novels, short stories, poems, and essays the students learn to think for themselves while honoring the author’s perspective.

Writing Workshop Students have many opportunities to express themselves through the written and spoken word.

They write expository, narrative and persuasive pieces and poetry. Students learn to monitor their writing so that readers will understand; this includes revision for meaning, usage, and spelling. They continue their study of the parts of speech and focus on the elements of grammar. Emphasis is on developing skills that lead to understanding, appreciating, organizing and assimilating the written word.

Mandarin Chinese: This is an intermediate course designed for fifth-grade non-native speakers of Chinese. This course continues to develop the basic skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking in the target language. Students are required to master the Pinyin system and speak in proper intonation. The students will continue to practice reading and writing short essays to strengthen overall language competency. The students will also be exposed to Chinese culture which will help foster a positive attitude and a growing interest in learning the target language. The students will also learn to appreciate and be sensitive to different cultures and customs.

Mathematics: The mathematics curriculum embraces many of the traditional goals of school mathematics as well as two new goals: to raise expectations substantially with respect to the amount and range of mathematics that students can learn and to provide materials for students that enable them to meet these higher expectations. The curriculum emphasizes conceptual understanding while building a mastery of basic skills, explores the full mathematics spectrum, not just basic arithmetic and is based on how students learn, what they are interested in, and the future for which they are prepared. The program follows the local, state and national standards. Students will realize by the end of the year that mathematics is not only useful but also connected to their life experiences in the world. They will do this mainly by exploring problem solving using analysis and logic.

Music: Vocal/Choral Music in Fifth Grade is a continuation and expansion of the student’s musical knowledge and creativity. Students continue to build on their knowledge of choral music by singing in two-part harmony, further developing their musical listening skills. Songs are sung in a variety of languages and styles, with an emphasis on following the musical score with accuracy. They will also strengthen their understanding and knowledge of musical terms and theory through a variety of interactive games and class activities.

Violin Students who elect to participate in the Fifth Grade violin class will receive a complete review or introduction to the violin. Skills necessary for sound production, music theory, good practice habits, proper technique and creative concepts such as composition and improvisation are also addressed. Students will play original selections based on the skill-levels of the individuals in the class. Repertoire for this class will represent a variety of styles from classical, bluegrass, jazz, traditional and beyond. Different book materials will be provided to the student.

Woodwinds Students will combine what they have learned about music reading and rhythm with the mechanics of playing a woodwind instrument. This year students will focus on sound production and practice habits as they develop a further appreciation of the dedication it takes to play a musical instrument. Through knowledge and preparation on her own instrument, each student will learn her important role as a member of a music ensemble.

Physical Education: Physical education classes continue to focus on skill development and a better understanding of the rules and regulations in the areas of basketball, hockey, football, volleyball, soccer, kickball, softball, swimming, and collaborative games. The students continue to acquire appropriate

attitudes concerning winning and losing which will impact favorably on the development of acceptable social and emotional behaviors. The students will also learn about mind, body and spirit and their relation to health and wellness.

Religion: The central theme of study in the religion classes is “recognizing the presence of God in all things.” Grounded in Scripture and Tradition and based on the teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, the students are called to realize God’s presence in prayer, in the sacraments of the Catholic Church, in their communities of faith, in the local and global community and in all of creation.

The students study scripture, primarily the New Testament, as a source of prayer and meditation to determine the origin of the sacraments and to realize who God is through the person of Jesus. The students seek to develop a meaningful religious experience by realizing the connection between action and contemplation through the practice of centering prayer and by examining social justice issues and searching for ways to respond to them. The students explore the meaning of the five goals of Sacred Heart education and how the goals and criteria apply to their lives. School-wide days of reflection centered on the five goals seek to foster in the students an awareness of their essential identity as children of the Sacred Heart. The students practice periodic self-evaluations to help them to understand the change and growth taking place in themselves: spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. They also continue to develop a respectful understanding of religious beliefs and customs which differ from their own.

Science: The inquiry-based learning approach is used to explore the topics of “Human Body Systems,” “Ecosystems” and “Engineering.” Through small group, teacher-guided explorations, the students critically analyze the subject matter. From their experiences in the lab, the students develop an understanding of the concepts and the skills needed to solve problems using the scientific method. The following are the skills Fifth Graders will begin to develop through scientific investigation: planning, implementing and analyzing experiments and drawing conclusions from their results; making and testing predictions; conducting, recording and organizing daily observations; communicating information through writing, drawing and

discussion; and applying previously learned information to analyze a problem and suggest solutions.

Social Studies: Students will learn about the most pivotal and crucial moments of our nation’s history from before the founding to the first decade of the republic. They will understand what took place through diverse perspectives and primary sources. The students learn how early English settlers clashed and collaborated with the Native Americans. They will study the original thirteen colonies and acquaint themselves with the Founding Fathers and how they framed our nation.

The students will meet the Sons of Liberty and understand how the Revolutionary War was fought, leading to the Declaration of Independence and the writing of our Constitution.

Students will think critically, practice note-taking, write about history, make timelines, read maps, and connect causes to effects.

Spanish: Spanish I The objective of this course is to further develop basic language skills in the target language. A variety of activities focus on the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Students will deepen their understanding of the different tenses and their proper use. Exposure to Hispanic culture will help foster a positive attitude towards the Spanish language while learning to respect lifestyles and cultural expressions of different Hispanic countries.

Spanish II The goal of this course is to continue improving the communicative competence of students in the target language. This is achieved by means of cultural awareness activities which focus on further developing the students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The students will be exposed to Hispanic culture through a variety of authentic Spanish literature. This will foster a positive attitude towards language learning as a way to respect the lifestyles of different countries and deepen their appreciation for the different cultural expressions. Students will be able to demonstrate progress in their ability to use proper grammar in oral and written language.

Student Development: The student development curriculum in the Intermediate School encourages the students to learn to make wise choices regarding their personal well-being and to practice healthy behaviors. Topics covered throughout the year are: conflict resolution, empathy, self-esteem, responsibility, building friendships, respect for self and others, effective communication, problem solving skills, community building, peacemaking skills, body image, bullying prevention, personal safety, puberty, and drug and alcohol prevention.

Technology: In Fifth Grade students gain the confidence necessary to become independent users of Carrollton’s network and its resources. By the end of the school year, they should become proficient using Microsoft Office and Google suite of products to do word processing, multimedia presentations, movies, brochures and to keep research on a digital notebook. They will review file management skills and grow confident when having to troubleshoot problems.

Internet safety and acceptable use policies are stressed as well. During the STEM portion of the class, students will learn to solder to connect wires, properly use a glue gun and different utility tools to assist in building projects. They will practice these skills by making a Light Spider. They will advance in their coding skills, continuing to use Scratch® and learning Java for artistic projects and Tynker Cad for making their own 3D-printed invention. Fifth graders will also explore different fields of engineering and incorporate the Engineering Design Process from the Boston Museum of Science Engineering is Elementary curriculum. Using their school tablets for ten minutes each class in addition to practicing three times a week at home, students will work towards keyboard speed and accuracy with a goal of thirty-five words per minute.

GRADE 6 Art: Students will learn the foundations of fine art through hands-on experience in many media, including chiaroscuro drawings, painting, sculpture, and relief printmaking. Students will gain knowledge of fundamental art techniques and concepts including value, color, proportion, perspective, repetition, form, composition, and chiaroscuro shading. Students will learn how projects fit into the context of art history and emphasis will be placed on studying specific artists, both historical and contemporary. Analysis and critique will be introduced as students become familiar with the vocabulary and interpretation of art.

French: This class is an introduction to French language and culture. Basic vocabulary and sentence structure will be introduced. Emphasis will be on proper pronunciation and basic communication skills. The students will experience all language skills in French: reading, writing, speaking and listening for understanding. Students are encouraged to embrace all the challenges and to communicate whenever possible in the target language during class activities.

Language Arts: Literature

The cyclical nature of this class helps to reinforce our skills as readers, speakers, and writers.

Listen, read, think, discuss, write- this is the order in which we approach each new text.

Listen - the students first enter into a text by listening to the words, absorbing and enjoying the new world. The students will be asked to read aloud practicing fluency and appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.

Read - We always read each piece a second time, investigating more closely and with more purpose. During this active reading, the students will have opportunities to work alone and in group settings. This is the time when we dissect not only the narrative and the characters, but also any complex grammatical choices the author makes. Our study of grammar is ongoing through each text and through our own writing in response to these texts.

Think - We think about what we are reading, but we also think about how we have responded to the reading. Are our thoughts clear? Have we supported our thoughts with real evidence from the text? Have we explained how this evidence is proving our point? These are difficult questions, and we practice this understanding through teacher and student examples in a safe workshop environment.

Discuss - The students will have the opportunity to discuss their thinking through informal and formal discussions. Formal discussions are student-led, and the students are assessed on the way they participate and listen.

Write - our written response to each piece is best described as thinking on the page. At first we are most concerned with getting our thoughts out and taking them as far as they can go. We then refine our responses, in concern with discourse, syntax, lexicon, and conventions. Through short stories spanning cultures, settings, and rich varied styles, the students learn to honor the author’s perspective and always respond with this perspective in mind.

Writing Writing Workshop focuses on developing the student’s level of discourse, syntax, lexicon, and conventions through the student's writing. Students will be working with a variety of literary genres including poetry, short stories, essays, free-verse, and scripts to model their writing.

Essentially, the students will be exposed to the various purposes for writing: persuasive, opinion, expository, descriptive, and narrative writing. By exposing the students to these distinct purposes, they can more freely understand and write within and beyond these parameters. We will be gradually increasing the quantity of writing from sentences to cohesive 5-paragraph

essays. They will be participating in groups for projects dealing specifically with prewriting strategies, script writing, and peer editing.

Mandarin Chinese: Advanced This course is designed for non-native speakers of Mandarin Chinese with an emphasis on developing the students’ communicative competence (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and real-life application in Chinese. Students will learn to express ideas orally using appropriate Mandarin Chinese. Students will also learn to use proper grammar and sentence structures verbally and in writing. In addition, students need to continue focusing on building up vocabulary, understand sentence patterns, and demonstrate knowledge of Chinese culture and simple customs. All students are expected to fully participate in the discussion session by using Mandarin Chinese.

Introduction This is an introductory course designed for Sixth Grade, non-native speakers of Chinese. This course is focused on developing skills of listening, comprehension and speech in Chinese.

Students are required to master the Pinyin and the four tones. Basic Chinese grammar and daily vocabulary are also introduced. In addition, students are required to learn about Chinese cultures and customs.

Mathematics: Mathematics The students will incorporate ideas of previous mathematics courses. The investigations, problems, and practice exercises will develop the students’ logical, mathematical and reasoning skills. Students complete guided investigations that explore and develop ideas, then practice them along with procedural skills in subsequent chapters. Each student will read and work all the problems as well as discuss them and reason the involved steps. The course also meets local, state, and national curriculum standards.

Pre-Algebra The Pre-Algebra course of accelerated mathematics instruction is designed to prepare talented sixth grade students for the successful study of high school algebra in the seventh grade. This course of study will further develop and strengthen the students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and skills reviewed in 5th grade while providing a special emphasis and focus on pre-algebra and introductory algebra topics. In addition to the mathematical course content, students will receive training and reinforcement in mathematical study skills,

organizational skills, academic and personal responsibility as they prepare to advance in the difficulty of mathematics course work. The special challenges inherent in this program require students to be dedicated to the material, display self-confidence, and demonstrate an excellent work ethic.

Music: Vocal/Choral Students will continue to build skills in music literacy, including reading, writing, improvising and describing music. They will explore the history, culture, religion, foreign language, and poetry through a diverse repertoire of multicultural songs, games and movement. Students will develop age-appropriate vocal and choral techniques, including vocal production, part-singing, and balance and blend, in preparation for a variety of performances throughout the year.

Violin Students who elect to participate in the sixth-grade violin class will receive a complete review or introduction to the violin. Skills necessary for sound production, music theory, good practice habits, proper technique and creative concepts such as composition and improvisation are also addressed. Students will play original selections based on the skill-levels of the individuals in the class. Repertoire for this class will represent a variety of styles from classical, bluegrass, jazz, traditional and beyond. Different book materials will be provided to the students.

Woodwinds Students will combine what they have learned about music reading and rhythm with the mechanics of playing a woodwind instrument. This year students will continue to focus on sound production and practice habits as they develop a further appreciation of the dedication required to play a musical instrument. Through personal knowledge and preparation on her own instrument, each student will learn her important role as a member of a music ensemble.

Physical Education: Physical education in the Sixth Grade includes continued skill development and mastering of skills with rules and regulations to various team sports which include basketball, volleyball, soccer, football, and swimming. They continue to develop appropriate attitudes concerning winning and losing that will impact favorably to acceptable social and emotional behavior.

Religion:

In the religion program we explore the history of salvation – from Creation, through the Old Testament, to its fulfillment in Jesus – as we share stories of our ancestors in faith. We recognize the importance of the prophets as witnesses for God and their relevance to our own time. We find our connection to Christian worship from its roots in the Old Testament, and learn the life of God’s people and their relationship as it unfolds through the stories. Important themes throughout the book call us to holiness, to care for the Earth, and to act in the ways of justice.

We will examine and reflect on the meaning of the Sacred Heart Goals as the foundation for growing as leaders. Using the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens as the springboard, students will discover their own potential as leaders and explore how St. Madeleine Sofie and St. Rose Philippine’s leadership in carrying out the Sacred Heart mission, is the groundwork we need to empower us to continue the work they pioneered long ago.

Science/STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): An inquiry-based learning approach is used to delve into the topics of Chemical Interactions, Earth in Space, and Weather on Earth. Through small group, teacher-guided explorations, the students critically analyze the subject matter. Through trial and error, the students learn the process of scientific investigation. In the STEM portion of the program the students will encompass a variety of activities and projects which will allow the students to explore new ideas related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Students are encouraged to develop their computer skills through varied media formats and engage in cross-curricular programs using these tools. This interdisciplinary approach gives the students opportunities to discover and explore while actively engaged in real-world problem-solving lessons. The students also work on developing their keyboard speed and accuracy, with an expected 35 WPM by the end of the school year.

Social Studies: Students will begin this course by examining the origins of American government. They will learn about types of governments, ideas about Rights, and Natural Laws, culminating in understanding the causes of the American Revolution. The students will then dive into the Constitution of the United States, its formation, structure, and principles. The students will focus on The Bill of Rights and the Civil Rights movement. They will study the three branches of

government, the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship, and the vital role of state and local governments. The students will also learn about civic duty's importance and our political parties' formation. They will study various primary sources and, through them, connect the past to our present, enabling them to understand best what the future brings. Students will think critically, practice note-taking, write about history, make timelines, read maps, and connect causes to effects.

Spanish: Spanish I In this Spanish course, the vocabulary and grammar structures will be reinforced. Students demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own. They show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the language for everyday life communication.

Spanish II In this Spanish course, students will enhance their reading comprehension skills, as well as their writing skills, through a series of text chapters and short readers which will provide vocabulary enrichment, fostering lively oral discussions. A variety of grammar exercises provide opportunities to compare and contrast different Spanish verb tenses and grammatical concepts.

The students’ awareness and appreciation of the Hispanic culture are achieved through their involvement in class and extracurricular activities.

Student Development The student development curriculum in the Intermediate School encourages the students to learn to make wise choices regarding their personal well-being and to practice healthy behaviors. Topics covered throughout the year are: conflict resolution, empathy, self-esteem, responsibility, building friendships, respect for self and others, effective communication, problem solving skills, community building, peacemaking skills, bullying prevention, personal safety, body image, puberty, and drug and alcohol prevention.