Grades 3-5

The emphasis of the 3rd-5th grade curriculum is educating the whole child. While offering an excellent academic program in core subjects, Religion, Math, English, Social Studies, and Science, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School also emphasizes art, music, drama, physical education, technology, and foreign language.

At this age, teachers move toward cooperative learning activities including group projects where students work together to solve problems and apply new concepts. Curriculum is enhanced with additional outside educational resources. A dedicated Computer technology lab, additional computers in the classrooms, as well as one-to one devices in the classroom for specific assignments becomes the launch pad for developing 21st century research skills for continues academic growth.

At the Lower School they learn to read but as our students move to the Upper School they read to learn. Our intermediary program provides our students opportunities to shine in a safe and nurturing environment.

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3rd Grade

The transition from the Lower School campus to the Upper School campus is smooth thanks to the collaboration between our 2nd grade and 3rd grade teams beginning almost a year in advance. As our 3rd graders enter the Upper School campus, they are matched with 8th grade students who commit to being prayer partners and mentors to our newest arrivals.

In Social Studies, students learn about communities, history, geography, government, and economics. Physical science is the center of third-grade science study. Weekly trips to the Science Lab afford students opportunities for hands-on experiential learning. In Math classes, students receive explicit instruction in concepts and skills. Varied approaches to problem-solving help students develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Concepts and skills are introduced in a concrete setting, proceed through pictorial representations and finally to the abstract application of these concepts and skills. Activities are related to students’ life experiences, to help them recognize and apply mathematics to their world. Students practice automaticity with basic math facts on a daily basis. Language arts provides integration of direct instruction in vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and grammar with a variety of reading and writing activities. Students move from learning to read to reading to learn.

Highlights: Prayer partners with eighth grade, STEM fair Solar Oven project, a field trip to Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture, "Multiplying for Pizza" our self-paced math incentive program, Accelerated Reader, Reflex Math, and service projects.

4th Grade

Fourth-grade students continue to thrive in year two in the Upper School as their focus turns toward exploration and becoming the Best Version of Yourself. Project Based Learning begins very early in the year, enabling students to be successful, grow, and collaboratively share their knowledge. Teachers work together to plan cross-curricular lessons and activities combining core curriculum with art, music, and foreign language. Students embrace and integrate technology into all content areas as students continue to hone their 21st-century research skills.

Fourth grade is responsible for spearheading the campus-wide Bison Preservation Project and conservation efforts at Caprock Canyons State Park. The students adopted their very own Bison in 2014. They follow and track Bison Magee, named after our school President, growth and migration pattern as she grows.

The second semester focuses on Genius Hour Activities, allowing the students to research topics they are passionate about and presenting a final product. The featured field trip is to Enterprise City where students combine every skill they learned this year to run a town for a day. They focus on human body systems and environmental science in 4th grade.

Highlights: Enterprise City, Bison Conservation Project, environmental science study on plant growth for STEM Fair, grade level service project, each class is paired with another 4th grade class abroad through Skype and write a book together.

5th Grade

The fifth-grade year is the bridge to middle school at St. Thomas Aquinas. Students travel in their homeroom groups to classes throughout the campus.

Students experience their first overnight spiritual retreat focusing on individual growth and friendship building. The theme of collaboration and cross-curricular studies define fifth-grade with the highlight being the STEM fair water conservation project. Students begin to develop their presentation skills through performances in Drama, Social Studies and Literature. In Literature, students create a self-reflective poetry journal as they explore the different genres of poetry, presenting their best works to classmates and parents in a cafe-styled program. Social Studies focus on American history comes to life in the students' Wax Museum.

During the second semester, fifth grade students work on individual autonomy by being able to participate in extra-curricular activities and clubs including Altar servers, sports, choir and musical.

Highlights: Unicef/Wonder project, Poetry Cafe, The Night at the Museum at The Perot Museum, and Social Studies Wax Museum.