Meet the Upper Elementary Department

Third Grade marks a shift in what happens at school.  Instead of learning to read students are now reading to learn.  Written responses to literature and math become more complex and expectations are rising.  Hand writing shifts from printing to cursive and students become eager to earn their pen license.  The use of technology to collaborate and demonstrate knowledge also increases in third grade.

Fourth grade is a very exciting year in which students will be building their knowledge across all academic areas. In the content area of reading, students will be both challenged to build academic language for the purpose of comprehension. Similarly, students will be acquiring the skills to broaden their writing, learning and executing proper essay format across curriculum appropriate to audience and purpose. Fourth-grade students will engage in hands-on and multiple step experiments focusing on the areas of physical science, life science, earth and space science. In the area of math, students embark on a journey to conquer long-division, mixed numbers, simplifying fractions, and decimals. 
5th grade’s got it goin’ on! The 5th grade engages in cool activities that create a link between elementary school and middle school.   Inventerprise, 5-7 science fair, zoo snooze, and ONREP field trips, technology, art, and engineering are embedded in and enhance our research projects as well as in our historical storyline on the colonization of the United States. Fifth grade social studies culminates the study of the United States that has been in progression since first grade and prepares our students for the enormous content of middle school's world history.  Math in the fifth grade covers concepts such as order of operations, algebraic expressions, and geometry. Language Arts lessons will inspire students to read closely and write for purpose with a strong voice. Book club activities help the fifth graders to communicate on a chosen topic while break out activities allow students to team up to collaborate in solving intricate puzzles. Fifth grade is a leadership year at St. Francis. These students are the oldest on the playground and set examples of good sportsmanship. They share their citizenship skills by caring for the school's flag and their leadership in faith during the annual May Crowning event.
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