Teacher: Becky Braaten, Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Alex Martin, Kris Sullivan, Anna Kugler, Crystal Sandberg

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Religion (5)

Units of Study: God Blesses His Believers (Creation—Issac); God Makes a People for Himself (Jacob—Ten Commandments); Israel in the Promised Land (Snake on a Pole—David and Goliath); God’s Faithfulness to His People (David—Elijah); Looking for the Savior (Elisha—Coming of the Wise Men); Jesus Begins His Ministry (John the Baptist—Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter); Jesus Teaches and Performs Miracles (Parable of the Sower—Jesus Raises Lazareth); Jesus’ Final Teachings, Death, and Resurrection (The Parable of the Great Banquet—Jesus Appears to Mary); Jesus Leaves His Disciples with His Power (Ascension—Timothy). 

Students read, discuss, select and memorize scripture; pray for others; participate in service for others, listen to worship and praise music, and lead/participate in chapel activities. A focus on reading actual source materials (the bible—CEV version), making scriptural connections to life, and using drama, reflection writing, and art to express and explore issues of faith is central. Applying the messages featured in Religion relates to all student school and home activities and pursuits. 

 Math 5

5th grade math uses Saxon (Math 65, 2nd Edition) as its curricular core. It also relies heavily on supplemental materials from various sources, including student-made, common, and teacher-constructed manipulatives, apps, digital resources, and standards-based math-centered websites in order to enrich content, and to support fact fluency and rigorous applications. Math 65 is constructed with a spiral approach, which emphasizes incremental development of new material and continuous review of previously taught concepts. Building upon the principles taught in Saxon Math 54, Math 65 continues developing arithmetic skills through multiplication and division of fractions and decimals while reviewing and expanding concepts of place value, addition and subtraction, geometry, measurement, and probability. Powers and roots, prime and composite numbers, ratios, and order of operations are also taught. The Saxon 65 textbook covers concepts such as: the order of operations; geometry and measurement; integers; divisibility concepts; ratios; statistics and probability; prime and composite numbers; patterns and sequences; and powers and roots. Students will specifically learn about making a multiplication table, adding/subtracting fractions with a common denominator, multiplying by multiples of 10 and 100, perimeter, simple probability, decimal parts of a meter, reciprocals, volume, square roots, graphing points on a coordinate plane, and more. Lessons contain a warm-up (with facts practice, mental math, & problem-solving exercises); introduction to the new concept, lesson practice exercises where the new skill is practiced, and mixed practice exercises, which includes 25-30 old and new problems. In-depth investigations and activities are also included within the curricular map.

Language Arts 5

The Language Arts core includes reading selections across genres and purposes to build and expand key conceptual understandings and skills, and to promote fluency, comprehension and student-monitoring. Harcourt Collections provides the Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary, Writing and Grammar curricular core and map. Additional materials, including extra-curricular literature, literature circles, graphic organizers, response journals, websites, apps, activities, and field trips enhance and enrich the curriculum to promote conceptual and skill mastery, and to deepen and widen base. Students also read both teacher and student-selected novels and informational articles, and produce response writing of various purposes.  Narratives, Poetry, Compare and Contrast Essay, Book Report, Informational Reports with Multiple Sources, Persuasive Essays with high interest, student-centered themes are central. Successful Writing Trait Steps and Reading Strategies are emphasized.

Social Studies

Highlights include social skills, community resources, Washington state history, US History, and geography. Students learn about states, capitals, people, geography and history mainly through projects, field trips such as State Report and Field Trip, songs, games and learning apps.  Students journey to Lutherhaven Outdoor education camp, Mount St. Helens, Olympia, the local library, the courthouse and police station, and other local areas of interest such as parks, museum, or hikes. They enjoy guest speakers and specialized projects to learn about how to function successfully in our community and world.  Students host a family State Fair with written reports, maps, foods, cards, license plates, and other state symbols when they complete oral reports and other project materials.  Students learn about states and capitals through research, music, making maps, almanacs, charts, graphs, source materials, and games.  They learn about things such as location, landforms, features, culture, regions, and events using curricular textbook, literature, and digital resources. 

 Science 5 - Mrs. Kris Sullivan

Content Under Construction: Mrs. Sullivan has created an amazing science program! It is incredible and very hands-on and research-based.

 Music/Art/PE 5

Students have the opportunity to learn art techniques from cross-curricular classroom ELA, social studies, and math activities, projects, visiting artists and parents, and field trips. Many school-wide projects include art and music elements, including holiday, chapel and musical productions. Students get the opportunity to learn and showcase skills in various ways. Students also benefit from music class where they practice basic choral techniques, as well as have the extracurricular opportunity to join band. Finally, students benefit from structured PE classes 2-3 times per week, including biweekly trips to the YMCA. They have fun learning various sports, exercise techniques, health concepts, and sportsmanship skills.

Field Trips/Special Events and Opportunities

Field Trips include Lutherhaven Outdoor education on Lake Coeur d‘Alene, Mt. St. Helens, Olympia, Local fire, police, and community parks, skating rink, YMCA, museum. We participate in the Prayer Partner program, learn social skills, leadership skills, various digital and technological applications, oral presentation skills, test-taking skills and strategies, host class meetings and have a classroom community with rotating mayor, help clean lunchroom and activity areas, invite guest speakers, buddy with younger students for school-wide events, and help make learning and teaching decisions. Students have the opportunity to participate in band and take leadership roles in musicals, concerts, and plays. Finally, we celebrate our behavioral and academic successes in style with fun trips and parties. We have a Christ-centered spirit week to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week, and include community and world service in this event.

 Additional Comments

From the seemingly mundane, but beautiful moments of daily classroom life where I get to observe and be a part of the ups and downs of the teaching and learning process, to the unforgettable highlights of our year such as singing silly songs, building watersheds, climbing walls and enjoying zip-lines over-looking Lake Coeur d’Alene at Camp Lutherhaven, it is easy to observe that St. Paul’s is Christ, family, and student-centered!