What's Up in Upper Elementary?

Third Graders Love SJPII
By Caitlyn DeCorte
News Editor

The third graders had a great start to the third quarter! In religion, the students learned about sacraments. They also sent a card to their seminarian at St. Mary's Seminary, Justin Cormie. Then, he visited the third graders to talk about Lenten Promises and Holy Week. A few weeks into Lent was Valentine’s Day. The students made Valentine’s Day bags and brought in Valentines to trade with each other. For Catholic Schools Week, the students wrote essays about why they love St. John Paul II Catholic School.
In math, the students learned measurements including time, temperature, calendars, schedules, and elapsed time. In science, they did more measuring. They learned how to measure the mass and volume of matter. They used a balance scale to measure a crayon and an eraser. The third graders also measured the volume of water in a tall and short cup using a graduated cylinder. Then, in social studies with Mrs. Love, the students learned how to be a good citizen. They also learned about good citizens today and good citizens in the past.
In reading, the students finished Harriet Tubman. They learned about civil rights and celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s birthday after learning about the Emancipation Proclamation. They worked on vocabulary and had comprehension tests. Then in language, they practiced adjectives with Harriet Tubman and wrote essays about her. They also wrote “If I Were President” essays, and the eighth graders came to trace the third graders’ silhouettes. The third graders had a great third quarter!

Tales of a Fourth Grade Quarter
By Jie Chen Hegedus
Technology Editor

The fourth graders were in full swing in the third quarter. For Lent, the students participated in Operation Rice Bowl, which benefited Catholic Relief Services. They have also studied the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
The students have also participated in many interesting projects in their core subjects. In reading, the students picked a children’s classic to read. They dressed and decorated a cut out of their main character and wrote about their favorite parts, settings, and characters in the book. In social studies, the students learned about different Native American tribes. The students also did a time travel unit. They studied different events, people, and places and made a cut out of something they learned about. In addition, the students learned about the executive branch of government and the Presidents in the past on President’s Day. In math, the students practiced long division and fractions. In science, the students learned about plants and animals and also food chains and food webs. The students also worked on their language skills on Chromebooks.
Next quarter, the students will go on a field trip to Taste of Texas and the Heritage Society in downtown Houston.
The fourth graders are continuing a great year of learning!


Fourth graders create a huge poster of Texas history events outside their classroom.

Fifth Grade in Motion
By Andrew Staerker
Photo Editor

The third quarter has been exciting for the fifth graders. In math, the students learned about adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers. While in science, the fifth graders experimented with acids and bases in the elementary science lab using litmus paper and pH paper. In the classroom, the students studied matter, forces, and motion. In language, the scholars identified adjectives, regular verbs, and irregular verbs. They used these skills and put them into action by writing persuasive essays. Then, in literature, the fifth graders started reading Johnny Tremain, which is a historical fiction book that takes place during the American Revolution. For Valentine’s Day, for literature, they created animals using heart shaped paper and wrote stories about their animal. Additionally, the fifth graders studied the American Revolution in social studies and focused on the people and events of that time. While in religion class, they learned about the sacraments of Initiation and Confirmation. They are now starting to discover the Holy Spirit.
The fifth graders were kept busy in the third quarter and are continuing it through the upcoming fourth quarter.­­ _­­­