Grade 3 – Grade 5
Development of religious knowledge – Grades three, four, and five build on the foundation started in the primary grades. Students are exposed to more information in the area of the Mass, the Beatitudes, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Catholic Saints. Parents are encouraged to participate in this instruction at home by using the on-line resources on the website of the Blest Are We series. The students continue to take part in weekly Mass and are provided an even greater opportunity to plan and participate at Mass. Starting in grade four, students can receive instruction on becoming an altar server.
To celebrate All Saints’ Day our students engage in projects that enhance their knowledge of the saints. Third grade students create crowns to depict their patron saint. In the fourth grade, students research, design, and create Pumpkin Saints which are shared throughout the building a week prior to the Holy Day. In fifth grade, students design and create shields of their patron saint.
Service Learning – All students participate in at least one service learning project each year. For example, our fourth graders are known for their Senior Breakfast which partners students with seniors from the parish for a morning of Mass, breakfast, entertainment and bingo.
Content area classes – During these years, our students greatly expand their knowledge in the areas of math and reading. The reading program we use is Reading Street. The use of a textbook and small booklets allow the students to read different genres. We use the Everyday Math program to allow hands on learning in math while teaching traditional methods of computation. Science uses the STEMscopes program. This is a hands-on science curriculum that includes online use as well. In Social Studies, the third grade students learn about various communities around the world, fourth grade concentrates on the state of Kentucky and the different regions of the Unites States, learning all the states and their capitals, and the fifth grade students learn about the early history of the United States starting with explorers.
Work with outside agencies – Our teachers collaborate with the Ft. Thomas YMCA to allow third grade students to take swimming lessons for one semester. Our fourth grade works with Sanitation District No. One to learn about ground water and run-off. Our fifth grade hosts a speaker from the Campbell County Conservation Office to discuss conservation issues in the state of Kentucky. All three grades take advantage of 4-H and invite them into the classroom each month.
Enrichment Classes – All intermediate students participate in enrichment classes in the areas of physical education, music, art, library, and Spanish on a weekly basis to learn skills in the various areas.