Fourth Grade students at St. James must be at least nine years old by September 1. Students attend school on Monday from 9:00 to 3:30 and on Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 to 3:30. Students may arrive as early as 7:20 a.m. and leave as late as 5:30 p.m. if participating in the Wrap Around Program.

In addition to their primary teacher, students have specialized teachers in Music, Physical Education, Spanish, Math Lab, Life Skills, Art, Library, Science Lab, Computer Lab, and Spiritual Formation and Growth.

Admission is based on the previous teacher's recommendation, achievement testing and previous school records.

Fourth Grade students at St. James must be at least nine years old by September 1. Students attend school on Monday from 9:00 to 3:30 and on Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 to 3:30. Students may arrive as early as 7:20 a.m. and leave as late as 5:30 p.m. if participating in the Wrap Around Program.

In addition to their primary teacher, students have specialized teachers in Music, Physical Education, Spanish, Math Lab, Life Skills, Art, Library, Science Lab, Computer Lab, and Spiritual Formation and Growth.

Admission is based on the previous teacher's recommendation, achievement testing and previous school records.

CENTRAL THEME: Rise of Ancient Civilizations
For its Central Theme, each grade studies a particular period of history from a full cultural perspective. Each theme builds on skills and broader concepts from the year before. The goal is to get to know the ordinary life of the times as well as the key historical events. Central Themes integrate history, literature, geography, art, English, composition, science, and religion. Each theme has its own central projects, reenactments, role playing, research topics, field trips, written reports and oral presentations.

Students learn to investigate ancient cultures through a set of "cultural universals," beginning with earliest man, through a study of Ancient Sumeria and Egypt, and concluding with an extensive study of Ancient Greece. Students question each civilization's geography, economics, religion and philosophy, language, education and arts, political system, sociology, and history. By questioning such things as how people communicate with each other and how people are governed, students establish a framework for understanding any unknown culture.

Students learn about daily life, architecture, archaeology, drama, philosophy, debate, the birth of democracy, Olympic games, poetry recitation, and Greek art. Central Theme literature includes myths, fables, legends, epic poetry, tragedy, comedy, historical fiction, and the use of excerpts from various primary sources.

As with the lower school students before them, Fourth Graders participate in many projects and field trips to personalize Central Theme. Some examples of past projects include: "Museum," "Hellenistic Festival," and "Feasts."

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Reading
This program has as its goal the creation of a love for reading, the broadening of student experiences, and a nurturing of written and oral communication skills. Fourth Graders acquire skills for independent reading and the traditional thinking skills of inference, evaluation, analysis and synthesis of information and ideas. This is accomplished through daily oral and silent reading of source material, novels, related material and the Language Arts textbook, and the reading and writing of poetry.

In addition to a half hour of independent reading at home, there is a silent reading period each day and a 30-minute library period each week. To encourage a variety of reading experiences, students choose their books from assignments which include theme related books and traditional material.

Specifically, fourth grade reading goals are: recognition of parts of a book; use of comprehension strategies of analyzing main idea and supporting details, predicting outcomes, determining cause and effect, drawing conclusions, establishing point of view, comparing and contrasting information, problem solving, classifying, making generalizations, using primary vs. secondary sources, and summarizing; basic research skills; attentive listening; speaking fluently in different settings and for a variety of purposes and audiences.

RETURN TO TOP

Specialized Reading Instruction
Learning differences vary in their type and severity; however, they often impact a student's acquisition of reading skills. For this reason, every child at St. James is individually screened to determine the most appropriate reading placement. The School offers two distinct programs for students whose reading progress indicates that they would benefit from additional instruction in the mechanics which are at the heart of reading skills. Recommendation into a particular program is based upon teacher evaluation, testing and parent input.

RETURN TO TOP

Language Arts
Composition - The curriculum is designed to provide a rich background for inspiring the writing process. Daily journals are kept to foster idea generation and elaboration. Writing is done through the Process Writing approach (topic selection, pre-writing, writing, peer & teacher conferencing, revising, proof-reading, publishing). Students learn editing skills such as punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing. Students complete the following oral/written products: persuasive, descriptive, and explanatory paragraphs; poetry; stories; personal narratives; friendly letters; thank-you letters; oral reports and research reports. Students will produce their own portfolio highlighting examples of their writing and poetry.

Vocabulary and Spelling - A Classical Vocabulary Study is begun in Fourth Grade (completed in Eighth). This introduction to etymological study is combined with more typical content-related vocabulary and spelling to offer students a strong foundation in this area. Spelling word lists, homonyms, and synonyms are studied with sentence dictation weekly.

Grammar - Students recognize appropriate sentence construction and appropriate English usage--subject, object, possessives, verb tenses, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, and diagramming sentences. They recognize appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

RETURN TO TOP

Math
Students concentrate on problem solving to reinforce whole number operations and fraction and decimal concepts. Estimation, rounding, measurement, factors, two step problem solving, geometric concepts, and division are covered. Study of the contributions by Egyptian (counting and measurement) and Greek (geometry) mathematicians is included. Math manipulatives and calculators are used throughout the study.

RETURN TO TOP

Science
Building upon the Central Theme of prehistory, early civilizations, and Ancient Greece, the formulation of scientific theories will be studied and analyzed for potential application in all areas of science, even in modern scientific investigations. The wide variety of science topics will allow for the study of a variety of ancient counterparts.

Various topics in the study of populations as they relate to the ecosystem and environment will be presented. Dinosaurs, rocks and minerals, plants, animals and their habitats, food chains and food webs, how living things survive, simple machines, the earth's oceans, weather, the solar system and the sense organs will be units which are studied and integrated into Central Theme topics.

An increase in mathematical skills as they relate to scientific studies will also be utilized in terms of evaluating the data gained in experiments. Developing good observers will still be a focus, with increased numbers, of written and oral presentations. Students will participate in hands-on Science activities related to classroom units in Science Lab forty-five minutes each week. These activities are guided by a Science Lab teacher and a classroom teacher.

RETURN TO TOP

Spanish Language
Beginning in the Fourth Grade, a three year elementary curriculum will be used to complete Spanish I in Grade 6. Objectives are to develop, reinforce, and refine proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish. Students gain an understanding of how the language is structured and how they can use this knowledge to express their own needs and talk about the world around them. They also acquire a basic understanding and appreciation of the diversity of cultures in the Spanish speaking world. No prior language experience is needed for students entering Fourth Grade. Art
Central Theme lends itself to many art activities such as: murals and paintings, the making of clay tablets and writing with stylus in cuneiform; using Egyptian clay; the study of Egyptian art through art history collections materials; drawing using the Egyptian method; the study of Greek art through the art history collection; drawing using red & black crayon wash to recreate Greek vase painting; the study of Greek sculpture through the art history collection and primitive work with clay and sculpture techniques; study of mosaics; blueprint and model making; collage depicting the Trojan War. Art appreciation will be emphasized as each culture is studied.

In addition to the activities completed within the classroom, Fourth Graders are scheduled for formal art instruction in painting, print making, design, ceramics, and other media for 50 minutes each week in the Art Studio. Aesthetic education, a vital part of creative and mental growth, will be central to all Art Studio projects.

RETURN TO TOP

Computer and Library
The students spend thirty minutes a week in the Computer Lab with a class room teacher and a computer teacher. Math, reading, and science skills are reinforced through computer programs. Graphic illustration is introduced during the second half of the year. Each classroom contains a computer and a printer which are available for the students' use.

The students spend thirty minutes per week in the Library, dividing the time between listening to a story and selecting a library book. The Librarian introduces beginning library skills.

RETURN TO TOP

Physical Education
Students learn sports skills related to basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, floor hockey, track and field, gymnastics, aquatics, jump roping, and dance (creative, folk & aerobic). Students are allowed to participate in "low organized" games on Fabulous Fridays, and physical fitness testing is conducted on each student. After school sports competition (basketball, volleyball & track) is available for Fourth Graders through a parochial teams league. Girls' and boys' teams compete against other schools from Corpus Christi and surrounding areas.

RETURN TO TOP

Music
Students receive music training for 30 minutes twice a week. The recorder as an instrument is taught. Students sing with attention to more subtle musical concepts such as the role of tempo and dynamics in expressive singing, the rise and fall of a phrase line, syllable stress and correlation of text with melody by singing known canons and two-part songs. The Fourth Grade students create pre-historic instruments during their study of early man. During their Egyptian study the students dance and create rhythmic poems about Egypt. Students also learn simple folk dances from various countries and hold a Greek Festival with dances and drama. Music activities and programs related to Central Theme, currently being studied, are included where appropriate.

RETURN TO TOP

Library/Computer Lab
Students spend 30 minutes weekly in the Library choosing books for independent reading and receiving instruction on the Dewey Decimal System, use of the card catalog, the reference collection, and periodicals.

Fourth Grade students spend thirty minutes a week in the Computer Lab with a classroom teacher and Computer Lab teacher. Students learn touch typing in preparation for word processing on personal lap top computers in the Fifth Grade. The goal is 12-15 w.p.m. at 92% accuracy. Graphic illustration techniques and creative writing are coordinated with classroom topics. Internet research skills are introduced. Each classroom contains a computer and a printer which are available for the students' use.

RETURN TO TOP

Spiritual Formation and Growth
A portion of each morning is set aside for daily Bible reading, reflections, and prayer. Students attend a 30 minute Chapel Service once a week, with special services held to recognize holidays and graduation.

A class taught by a St. James faculty member is held thirty minutes a week for two six weeks periods. Studies include major stories from the Old Testament, major events in the life of Jesus, and Christian values. The clergy "guest lectures" in Central Theme on specialized topics such as: Biblical Civilizations including Egypt, Influence of Greco Roman Culture on Judaism and Christianity, Philosophy and Theology and the Greek language.

RETURN TO TOP

Educating the Heart and Life Skills
These specialized programs help students deal with issues that are pertinent to their normal growth and development. A Life Skills class is alternated with Spiritual Formation class for thirty minutes a week during two six week time periods. Participation in this class helps students: develop a healthy self-concept, personal confidence, group interaction and problem solving skills; learn respect for differences in themselves and as part of the class, school and society; and reinforce school responsibilities such as fairness, kindness, courtesy and honesty.

Lower School students also participate in Educating the Heart activities and discussions that focus on the following Life Goals: Personal Responsibility/Trustworthiness, Kindness/No Put-Downs, Active Listening, Personal Best and Honesty/ Truthfulness. In addition to the Educating the Heart activities that will take place within their own classrooms, students will be placed in "Family Groups" with other Lower School students for related lessons.

RETURN TO TOP

CENTRAL THEME: Rise of Ancient Civilizations
For its Central Theme, each grade studies a particular period of history from a full cultural perspective. Each theme builds on skills and broader concepts from the year before. The goal is to get to know the ordinary life of the times as well as the key historical events. Central Themes integrate history, literature, geography, art, English, composition, science, and religion. Each theme has its own central projects, reenactments, role playing, research topics, field trips, written reports and oral presentations.

Students learn to investigate ancient cultures through a set of "cultural universals," beginning with earliest man, through a study of Ancient Sumeria and Egypt, and concluding with an extensive study of Ancient Greece. Students question each civilization's geography, economics, religion and philosophy, language, education and arts, political system, sociology, and history. By questioning such things as how people communicate with each other and how people are governed, students establish a framework for understanding any unknown culture.

Students learn about daily life, architecture, archaeology, drama, philosophy, debate, the birth of democracy, Olympic games, poetry recitation, and Greek art. Central Theme literature includes myths, fables, legends, epic poetry, tragedy, comedy, historical fiction, and the use of excerpts from various primary sources.

As with the lower school students before them, Fourth Graders participate in many projects and field trips to personalize Central Theme. Some examples of past projects include: "Museum," "Hellenistic Festival," and "Feasts."

RETURN TO TOP

Reading
This program has as its goal the creation of a love for reading, the broadening of student experiences, and a nurturing of written and oral communication skills. Fourth Graders acquire skills for independent reading and the traditional thinking skills of inference, evaluation, analysis and synthesis of information and ideas. This is accomplished through daily oral and silent reading of source material, novels, related material and the Language Arts textbook, and the reading and writing of poetry.

In addition to a half hour of independent reading at home, there is a silent reading period each day and a 30-minute library period each week. To encourage a variety of reading experiences, students choose their books from assignments which include theme related books and traditional material.

Specifically, fourth grade reading goals are: recognition of parts of a book; use of comprehension strategies of analyzing main idea and supporting details, predicting outcomes, determining cause and effect, drawing conclusions, establishing point of view, comparing and contrasting information, problem solving, classifying, making generalizations, using primary vs. secondary sources, and summarizing; basic research skills; attentive listening; speaking fluently in different settings and for a variety of purposes and audiences.

RETURN TO TOP

Specialized Reading Instruction
Learning differences vary in their type and severity; however, they often impact a student's acquisition of reading skills. For this reason, every child at St. James is individually screened to determine the most appropriate reading placement. The School offers two distinct programs for students whose reading progress indicates that they would benefit from additional instruction in the mechanics which are at the heart of reading skills. Recommendation into a particular program is based upon teacher evaluation, testing and parent input.

RETURN TO TOP

Language Arts
Composition - The curriculum is designed to provide a rich background for inspiring the writing process. Daily journals are kept to foster idea generation and elaboration. Writing is done through the Process Writing approach (topic selection, pre-writing, writing, peer & teacher conferencing, revising, proof-reading, publishing). Students learn editing skills such as punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphing. Students complete the following oral/written products: persuasive, descriptive, and explanatory paragraphs; poetry; stories; personal narratives; friendly letters; thank-you letters; oral reports and research reports. Students will produce their own portfolio highlighting examples of their writing and poetry.

Vocabulary and Spelling - A Classical Vocabulary Study is begun in Fourth Grade (completed in Eighth). This introduction to etymological study is combined with more typical content-related vocabulary and spelling to offer students a strong foundation in this area. Spelling word lists, homonyms, and synonyms are studied with sentence dictation weekly.

Grammar - Students recognize appropriate sentence construction and appropriate English usage--subject, object, possessives, verb tenses, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, and diagramming sentences. They recognize appropriate spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

RETURN TO TOP

Math
Students concentrate on problem solving to reinforce whole number operations and fraction and decimal concepts. Estimation, rounding, measurement, factors, two step problem solving, geometric concepts, and division are covered. Study of the contributions by Egyptian (counting and measurement) and Greek (geometry) mathematicians is included. Math manipulatives and calculators are used throughout the study.

RETURN TO TOP

Science
Building upon the Central Theme of prehistory, early civilizations, and Ancient Greece, the formulation of scientific theories will be studied and analyzed for potential application in all areas of science, even in modern scientific investigations. The wide variety of science topics will allow for the study of a variety of ancient counterparts.

Various topics in the study of populations as they relate to the ecosystem and environment will be presented. Dinosaurs, rocks and minerals, plants, animals and their habitats, food chains and food webs, how living things survive, simple machines, the earth's oceans, weather, the solar system and the sense organs will be units which are studied and integrated into Central Theme topics.

An increase in mathematical skills as they relate to scientific studies will also be utilized in terms of evaluating the data gained in experiments. Developing good observers will still be a focus, with increased numbers, of written and oral presentations. Students will participate in hands-on Science activities related to classroom units in Science Lab forty-five minutes each week. These activities are guided by a Science Lab teacher and a classroom teacher.

RETURN TO TOP

Spanish Language
Beginning in the Fourth Grade, a three year elementary curriculum will be used to complete Spanish I in Grade 6. Objectives are to develop, reinforce, and refine proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish. Students gain an understanding of how the language is structured and how they can use this knowledge to express their own needs and talk about the world around them. They also acquire a basic understanding and appreciation of the diversity of cultures in the Spanish speaking world. No prior language experience is needed for students entering Fourth Grade. Art
Central Theme lends itself to many art activities such as: murals and paintings, the making of clay tablets and writing with stylus in cuneiform; using Egyptian clay; the study of Egyptian art through art history collections materials; drawing using the Egyptian method; the study of Greek art through the art history collection; drawing using red & black crayon wash to recreate Greek vase painting; the study of Greek sculpture through the art history collection and primitive work with clay and sculpture techniques; study of mosaics; blueprint and model making; collage depicting the Trojan War. Art appreciation will be emphasized as each culture is studied.

In addition to the activities completed within the classroom, Fourth Graders are scheduled for formal art instruction in painting, print making, design, ceramics, and other media for 50 minutes each week in the Art Studio. Aesthetic education, a vital part of creative and mental growth, will be central to all Art Studio projects.

RETURN TO TOP

Computer and Library
The students spend thirty minutes a week in the Computer Lab with a class room teacher and a computer teacher. Math, reading, and science skills are reinforced through computer programs. Graphic illustration is introduced during the second half of the year. Each classroom contains a computer and a printer which are available for the students' use.

The students spend thirty minutes per week in the Library, dividing the time between listening to a story and selecting a library book. The Librarian introduces beginning library skills.

RETURN TO TOP

Physical Education
Students learn sports skills related to basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, floor hockey, track and field, gymnastics, aquatics, jump roping, and dance (creative, folk & aerobic). Students are allowed to participate in "low organized" games on Fabulous Fridays, and physical fitness testing is conducted on each student. After school sports competition (basketball, volleyball & track) is available for Fourth Graders through a parochial teams league. Girls' and boys' teams compete against other schools from Corpus Christi and surrounding areas.

RETURN TO TOP

Music
Students receive music training for 30 minutes twice a week. The recorder as an instrument is taught. Students sing with attention to more subtle musical concepts such as the role of tempo and dynamics in expressive singing, the rise and fall of a phrase line, syllable stress and correlation of text with melody by singing known canons and two-part songs. The Fourth Grade students create pre-historic instruments during their study of early man. During their Egyptian study the students dance and create rhythmic poems about Egypt. Students also learn simple folk dances from various countries and hold a Greek Festival with dances and drama. Music activities and programs related to Central Theme, currently being studied, are included where appropriate.

RETURN TO TOP

Library/Computer Lab
Students spend 30 minutes weekly in the Library choosing books for independent reading and receiving instruction on the Dewey Decimal System, use of the card catalog, the reference collection, and periodicals.

Fourth Grade students spend thirty minutes a week in the Computer Lab with a classroom teacher and Computer Lab teacher. Students learn touch typing in preparation for word processing on personal lap top computers in the Fifth Grade. The goal is 12-15 w.p.m. at 92% accuracy. Graphic illustration techniques and creative writing are coordinated with classroom topics. Internet research skills are introduced. Each classroom contains a computer and a printer which are available for the students' use.

RETURN TO TOP

Spiritual Formation and Growth
A portion of each morning is set aside for daily Bible reading, reflections, and prayer. Students attend a 30 minute Chapel Service once a week, with special services held to recognize holidays and graduation.

A class taught by a St. James faculty member is held thirty minutes a week for two six weeks periods. Studies include major stories from the Old Testament, major events in the life of Jesus, and Christian values. The clergy "guest lectures" in Central Theme on specialized topics such as: Biblical Civilizations including Egypt, Influence of Greco Roman Culture on Judaism and Christianity, Philosophy and Theology and the Greek language.

RETURN TO TOP

Educating the Heart and Life Skills
These specialized programs help students deal with issues that are pertinent to their normal growth and development. A Life Skills class is alternated with Spiritual Formation class for thirty minutes a week during two six week time periods. Participation in this class helps students: develop a healthy self-concept, personal confidence, group interaction and problem solving skills; learn respect for differences in themselves and as part of the class, school and society; and reinforce school responsibilities such as fairness, kindness, courtesy and honesty.

Lower School students also participate in Educating the Heart activities and discussions that focus on the following Life Goals: Personal Responsibility/Trustworthiness, Kindness/No Put-Downs, Active Listening, Personal Best and Honesty/ Truthfulness. In addition to the Educating the Heart activities that will take place within their own classrooms, students will be placed in "Family Groups" with other Lower School students for related lessons.

RETURN TO TOP