Pre-K | Kindergarten | First Grade | Second Grade | Third Grade | Fourth Grade | Fifth Grade



The central theme of the fourth grade Social Studies curriculum is Continuity and Change and the Regions and Cities of the United States. Components of geography, history, civics and government, economics, and culture are interwoven throughout the Fourth grade curriculum.

The focus of Language Arts is reading, writing, spelling, listening, handwriting, and oral communications across the curriculum. The literature includes fiction and non-fiction. Students identify the elements of a story: character, plot, setting, problem, events, solution, and ending. They distinguish between the literal and the figurative meaning of words of phrases from context.

Students identify and use descriptive language in writing and reading. Fourth graders are expected to use outlines or graphic organizers to organize writing.

Reading Renaissance (also referred to as Accelerated Reader) is a reading incentive program in place at The Cathedral School in 2nd-5th grades. The program is based on the fundamental principal that practice improves reading. It combines computer technology, teaching strategies and reading practice. At our school, Reading Renaissance is used as a supplemental reading program that simply manages student reading practice and measures reading growth over the school year. Each classroom has scheduled into their day a minimum of 30 minutes of reading practice. Three times during the school year, students take an individualized reading assessment in the computer lab, called STAR Reading. Then, each teacher schedules a conference with each student to show them their results and plan their reading program for each nine weeks. If you don't know where you started, how will you know if you have made progress? For this reason, students learn their reading level, are helped by the classroom teacher to find a book that is on their level, and are then given time to read. The teacher monitors their reading, taking the opportunity to teach in "mini-lessons" as needed. After finishing the book, students take a quiz on the material to check for comprehension. If they pass, they move on. If they don't, the teacher guides them to continue to practice their reading skills on another book of the same level. The beauty of this program is each teacher knows exactly where every student in her class is in their reading development and each student can progress at his or her own pace. Students can see their growth and it only inspires them to keep going.

The central focus of the Math curriculum is division, fractions, and decimals. The content is taught using concrete modeling and manipulatives in these areas: geometry, place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, graphing, and measurement. The goal is to move from concrete, to semi-concrete, to abstract problem solving. Computation stresses both process and correctness.

Accelerated Math is a computer based supplemental math program used at The Cathedral School for 3rd-5th grades. It monitors and manages student learning. Accelerated Math helps the teacher customize practice assignments for each student. Through diagnostic results, it tells the teacher exactly which math skills have been mastered and which skills need more practice. The reports help the teacher to give each student the instruction and math practice they need, and motivate them to take responsibility for their own learning.

The study of Science includes aspects of Life Science, Physical Science, Earth Science and the Science of Technology. Health and making healthy choices curriculum is incorporated into the science study.

Students in the fourth grade discuss lines in nature, manufactured objects and famous artists' works in a 2-D and 3-D experience. They identify how lines create proportion, perspective, movement, patterns, textures, shapes and emotions. Students identify and use abstract and realistic shapes, analyze how artists use shapes by overlapping to show near and far, recognize changes in lights and darks and use simple shading. Students use transparent and opaque colors and practice using color and line to influence moods and feelings. Symmetrical and asymmetrical balance is a design focus. Textures and patterns are reproduced in create realistic and abstract pieces in two and three dimensions. Projects are geared both toward the classroom curriculum and the study of artists and art history.


All students at The Cathedral School are given the opportunity to define, practice, and apply creativity during enrichment classes. The classes focus on the development and evaluation of ideas. The children think about the steps in the creative process during their lessons. They learn to make judgments, evaluate using their own criteria, and reflect upon decisions. The children are introduced to thinking styles and personality types, learning to use individual strengths. The children use memorization techniques to present a poem to classmates. They choose, plan, develop, present, and evaluate a project called "Expert Expo" to teach the group.

The Spanish program is designed to: instill an interest in the study of a foreign language, foster an awareness of cultural and linguistic differences among peoples, create a sense of tolerance, understanding and appreciation of these differences, and to offer students opportunities and experiences which allow them to communicate in a range of content areas both in the target language and in the target culture.

Instruction in Fourth Grade is guided by core classroom topics and a language text base. Students are guided to explore language by learning to recognize and comprehend the spoken word, then progress to simple phrases, sentences, and functional expressions. Reading and writing activities are introduced after visual and oral presentations are made.

Students learn to articulate and comprehend:

	Greetings, farewell, days of the week, months of the year
	Polite terms of expression
	Name translations, introductions
	Colors, numbers, simple geometrick shapes
	Body parts
	Classroom vocabulary
	Family members
	Parts of a house and various furniture
	Food items
	Holiday vocabulary and customs related to various holidays
	Telling Time
	Adjectives, verbs
	Expression of feelings
	Appropriate questions to obtain needed information
	Math operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Students will become familiar with various Spanish speaking parts of the world, general geographic locations, customs and limited traditions.


Students examine major types of fiction with some creative writing assignments, write a bibliography supporting classroom based research.. Students use the OPAC system for information retrieval. All are expected to understand library organization as a way to locate books from the on-line catalog. Newbery Books are reviewed and shared.

Music is an integral part of the curriculum at The Cathedral School. Music studies are promoted and encouraged through participation, performance, listening and worship. Students are exposed to music in all areas of the campus daily life. Performances and student participation are encouraged with presentations of The Cathedral School Christmas Pageant, Grand Friends' Day musical reviews, as well as the oppotunity to participate in the Singing Saints Choir.. Students sing in chapel and take their music to outreach opportunities in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

	Melody: Students understand basic scales and how notes move on the staff to notate music, solfege or number skills, sight singing, key signatures and accidentals are introduced.
	Rhythm: Students count and sing in basic time signatures and practice counting skills, dotted notes, ties and slurs.
	Harmony: Descants, major and minor chords with instruments are learned.
	Form and Style: Students recognize the national heritage of songs and basic song form as well as the form designs in compositions.
	Expressive Qualities: Students recognize different instruments, blends of instruments, tempo and dynamics.

The students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade participate in physical education activities and skill acquisition as an intentional component for educating mind, body and spirit. Students learn and demonstrate the following during physical education class at the appropriate level:

	Health related fitness
	Personal and social behavior
	Movement /motor skill
	Active lifestyle
	Academic integration
	Safety

The purpose of the religion curriculum at The Cathedral School is to nurture the spiritual growth of the child by providing:

	Time in the daily schedule for praying together as a class community
	Space in the physical building where materials are kept and classes taught
	Teachings from a trained and experienced Catechist of the Good Shepherd Christian Formation
	A Chaplain to teach and lead the liturgies of the gathered community and to respond to the students and families in need of special nurturing at times of illness, death, tragedy, divorce, etc.

Students are offered an experiential method of encountering God; a community experience in worshipping, studying and supporting one another; and the opportunity to participate in a liturgy which can express the living, spiritual "breathing" of children aged 5 to 12, and the adults who love and support them.

Fourth grade students continue work with formal keyboarding skills with the understanding that hand span is not yet mature. Students continue projects with paint, draw and graphics programs, and continue word processing skills learning document layout and margins. They are introduced to databases, spreadsheets and desktop publishing. Students work with networked printers and shared information on the network, and use search engines and web browsers on the internet. Students work with the elements of a multimedia presentation and begin to work with video projects and electronic presentations.