Academics
ELA (English Language Arts)
English in the fourth grade emphasizes dictionary and writing skills. Parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are given much more attention than in previous years. Learning about sentence patterns and paragraphs should increase the student's ability to write expressively and creatively.
Fifth grade students are taught how to use the rules of grammar in order to develop meaningful paragraphs and reports. All parts of speech, including prepositions, are presented in detail so that students are exposed to a mixture of elements, which make up our complex language.
Reading
One of the most important gifts we can give a child is the “gift of reading.” With this in mind, the elementary schools in the district, K-5, utilize a series published by McGraw Hill. The uniqueness of this particular program is the integration of reading, spelling, and English. Once a concept is introduced, it is reinforced throughout the subjects with various decoding and comprehension strategies that enable student mastery of comprehension, writing, speaking, and listening. It is designed with leveled books for guided reading so that every student may experience reading/writing success. In addition, it is enriched with a phonics program, high frequency words, additional practices, continual reinforcement, and acquisition of skills with various new techniques and strategies that will result in more independent thinkers, readers, and writers.
Math
The North Pocono School District utilizes the Everyday Mathematics program in all elementary buildings K-5. Everyday Mathematics is a research-based and field-tested curriculum that focuses on developing children’s understandings and skills in ways that produce life-long mathematical power. The Everyday Mathematics program emphasizes:
- Use of concrete, real-life examples that are meaningful and memorable as an introduction to key mathematical concepts.
- Repeated exposures to mathematical concepts and skills to develop children’s ability to recall knowledge from long-term memory.
- Frequent practice of basic computation skills to build mastery of procedures and quick recall of facts, often through games and verbal exercises.
- Use of multiple methods and problem-solving strategies to foster true proficiency and accommodate different learning styles.
Each grade of the Everyday Mathematics curriculum is carefully designed to build and expand a student’s mathematical proficiency and understanding. Our goal: to build powerful mathematical thinkers.
Social Studies
Continuation of map skills is part of the fourth grade social studies curriculum focusing on latitude and longitude. Children will also study the five basic regions of our earth and compare and contrast each area.
Fifth grade social studies introduce students to American history. Topics covered include the early explorers, territorial expansion, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Pennsylvania History, and a look at US geography.
Science
Students in the fourth grade study and explore a variety of subtopics which fall under the following four categories: biological science, physical science, Earth and space science and technology/engineering education. Within the biological science category, students will develop an understanding of organisms, cells, genetics and the evolution of plants and animals. When discussing physical science, students will learn more about chemistry and physics. Earth and space science will cover the earth’s structure and the origin and evolution of the universe. Technology/engineering education will introduce the scope of technology, its effects on society, how things are made and improved upon as well as the concepts of models, patterns, and relationships between and among the systems that exist in the world.
Fifth grade students will study the same four broad topics that are studied in fourth grade. However, the standards based curriculum, provided by the state, guides students towards more specific details and a deeper understanding of all the previously mentioned topics. As a fifth grade student at NPI, students can expect dialogue, activities, and both in and out of class projects that will enhance both their understanding of the sciences and the world in which they live.
Specials
NPI students engage in Specials classes throughout the cycle. Students have Art, Health/Physical Education, Music, and Library classes.