Lower School: Grades 4 through 5

In the fourth and fifth grades we continue to build on the basic foundation laid in the early Lower School grades while preparing the students for the challenging liberal arts curriculum in Middle School and Upper School.

As the children learn and mature, they take on greater personal responsibility for keeping track of and completing their school work. Throughout the fourth and fifth grades, we teach students to organize their material and thoughts, employing an outline method for organization, study, and recall.

Beginning in fourth grade, students may choose to take either French or Spanish as their foreign language.

Starting in fourth grade, students with excellent academic achievement and conduct for each six weeks marking period are recognized in Chapel and included on the Honor Roll and Dean's List.

Reading/Vocabulary

The study of literature in the fourth and fifth grades helps to improve the art of reading. Required outside reading in a variety of English and American classics sharpens reading skills.

Vocabulary development accelerates when students relate Latin roots to words from literature. We emphasize the determination of meaning from contextual clues. The goal is to perfect articulation and to interpret words within paragraphs.

Grammar

The formal study of grammar, begun in the third grade, expands in the fourth and fifth grades through intensive instruction in all parts of speech, diagramming, syntax of the simple sentence, usage, punctuation, and capitalization. Students examine the types of sentences by means of sentence patterns. The patterns provide an analytical tool which the student uses to develop a high degree of grammatical sense and discrimination.

Composition

In conjunction with grammar and reading, we teach composition. The student progresses systematically from the sentence to the paragraph and finally to the essay. Emphasis is on conciseness, logical order, and originality.

Mathematics

Arithmetic in the fourth and fifth grades strengthens and perfects the computational tools of addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division. Throughout these grades, word problems get special attention as a tool to sharpen arithmetic reasoning and logical thinking.

The study of common fractions begins in the fourth grade. This study expands throughout the fifth grade, into sixth grade, until the student is fully competent with proper, improper, and complex fractions and mixed numbers as well as decimal fractions in all arithmetic operations. We give much attention to the ability to interchange fractional and decimal expressions in order to develop an understanding of the various ways to represent a particular value and to develop a flexible approach to the solution of mathematical situations.

Additional topics include the metric system, perimeter, area, factoring, primes, multiples, ratio and proportion, and percents.

Science

Science in Lower School uses the A Beka Science Series as well as hands-on activities to teach basic concepts in life, earth, and physical science.

Fourth Grade

The students continue their study of plants, animals, and ecology. Their earth and physical science studies are expanded, and more attention is given to the details of experimental design.

Fifth Grade

The students undertake a comprehensive general science course that pulls together all of their previous science exposure and prepares them for their middle and high school years. This course begins with the scientific method, measurement, and simple chemistry, continues with life science, earth science, astronomy, and physical science.

American History

Our history program instills in students an understanding of the heritage of Western Civilization and the Christian principles that have formed Western social and political institutions. History classes proceed in a mostly chronological order but are arranged so that the more demanding and complex materials are considered in the later grades.

Fourth Grade

Fourth graders study the history of America from the Vikings to the inventors prior to World War I.

Fifth Grade

Fifth graders study the history of America from the Spanish-American War to the Gulf War.

Geography

We approach the study of geography through reading and making maps. The students learn basic map-making techniques along with the basic facts of physical geography, starting with the largest possible conceptions and working down to details.

Fourth Grade

The fourth grade learns the political and physical geography of the Western Hemisphere.

Fifth Grade

In the fifth grade, the emphasis is on map-making and physical geography of the Eastern Hemisphere.

Spelling

We teach spelling as a formal subject through the sixth grade. The student reviews the rules of phonics and word usage, applying them to words found in his general subject matter as well as formal spelling lists. We stress correct pronunciation as an indispensable part of correct spelling.

French

Having mastered the concepts of gender and simple verb conjugations in the first through third grades, fourth and fifth grade students continuing with French meet more complex grammar, including adjectives, idioms, and irregular verb forms and are encouraged to apply this knowledge in reading and composition.

Spanish

Fourth Grade 

Students acquire basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar in order to perform tasks which range from, among other things: meeting and introducing themselves and others; asking and replying to greetings; identifying and inquiring about other people; asking about the weather; and identifying and talking about school, to identifying and using the numbers 1-100 in everyday situations. Students spend time actively using the language in games, songs and skits and learn about the culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples.

Fifth Grade 

Students acquire basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar in order to perform tasks that range from, among other things: talking about dwellings; identifying the parts of the body; describing people and what they are wearing; talking about food; and inquiring and stating the activities that people do, to discussing daily routines. Students spend time actively using the language in games, songs and skits and learn more about the culture of the Spanish-speaking peoples

Sacred Studies

Fourth Grade

We study Exodus through Deuteronomy. The emphasis is on the growth of Israel into a nation and the parallels to Christ's death and resurrection.

Fifth Grade 

The fifth grade studies the Judges through the rule of King Solomon.

Computer

The focus of computer science in the fifth grade is to learn keyboarding in preparation for use of Microsoft Office applications in the middle school computer science classes. Students learn the QWERTY keyboard and touch typing. This class places emphasis on developing proper technique while building speed. We use the Herzog method which incorporates an alphabetical approach and "hub key sensors" that provide tactile feedback to students as they learn the keyboard.

Music

String Ensemble 

Junior String Ensemble provides an opportunity to those string students - violin, viola, and cello - who have sufficient note-reading skills and solid technique on their respective instruments. The course of instruction is designed to introduce the students to orchestral literature and technique. The students learn to follow conducting patterns and play independent musical lines. During weekly rehearsals, the students develop ensemble skills including playing different parts, balancing melody and harmony, and matching bowing technique and style.

Junior String Ensemble students perform during some chapel services, the 4th-6th grade Christmas concert and a spring concert, as well as performing in community service concerts during the year.

Fourth - Fifth Grade Choir 

In the 4th-5th grade choir, members continue to develop singing skills through reinforcement of the foundational techniques begun in the earlier grades.

Focus on intonation, a pleasing sound, and correct diction is primary. Independent skill is encouraged through regular part-singing, including 3, 4, and 5 part anthems, canons, or folk songs.

Students learn to sing in several languages by performing works in Latin, German, Spanish, French, Italian, and English.

The Choir enhances and leads student body singing through the performance of descants and anthems in the regular chapel services throughout the year, as well as special services such as Nine Lessons and Carols, All Saints Day, and Ascension Day.

The Choir’s two main concerts are held at Christmas and in the spring. The Choir also performs at local community events during the school year.

Membership in the 4th – 5th grade Choir is by audition only. Students must possess the ability to sing on pitch by themselves and with others, show professionalism and attentiveness in a group setting, and consistently attend rehearsals. While students may audition at various times throughout the year as determined by the director, if invited into membership, the student must be able to commit to the full or remaining season.

Private Instruction

Private music lessons in piano, voice, organ, violin, viola, cello, flute, and classical guitar are offered. A very fine group of teachers has been engaged to provide this convenient service. Recitals are presented by these students in the spring.

Dance

As part of the physical education program, students continue instruction in Scottish Highland dancing. This program provides a unique way for them benefit from a superior form of physical exercise, to promote personal grace, and precise muscle control, to develop a sense of rhythm and coordination between body and mind, and to offer for their enjoyment a disciplined and moral dance form.