• 3 Year Preschool
• 4 Year Preschool
• Full Day Kindergarten
• First Grade
• Second Grade
• Third Grade

• Fourth Grade
• Fifth Grade
• Sixth Grade
  
• Physical Education
• Music Education

Shauntel Mark

Philosophy: To develop the whole child through play, exploration and varied experiences. These ideas enhance the child's ability to develop communication, motor/physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and adaptive/self-help skills. The children are offered P.E., music, an introduction to basic Catholic teachings, and an emphasis on social skills in this program. A newsletter is sent home to parents each week to keep them informed of the classroom activities and upcoming events. We take into consideration each child's individual needs and abilities, and the following are the areas of focus in this program:

Play is essential for optimal learning to occur and is, therefore, extremely important for children to do. Children use play to explore their world and the people in it. Play offers opportunities to make choices, manipulate objects, express curiosity, and solve problems. Through our learning centers, the 3 Year Preschool Program provides a variety of activities and materials each day to stimulate the children's interests and development. Listed below are the centers in our program and the skills typically developed in these areas:

• In the Art Center, children experiment with drawing, writing, cutting tools, and various materials. Through creative expression the children learn pre-literacy skills, following directions, properties of substances, manipulation of various materials and tools, and much more. It's a great place to build their self esteem.
• The Block Center helps develop fine motor skills, visual perception, and coordination. In this center the children learn pretend play, planning and concept development, principles of construction, patterning, and more.
• The children explore their emotions, increase their vocabulary, and discover the world around them in the Dramatic Play Center. In addition, they use creativity, resolve conflicts, role play, develop social skills, learn self-help skills, and improve both their receptive and expressive language. It's also fun!
• Cooking Projects provide numerous opportunities for young children to communicate with others and learn about the nutritional benefits of foods. Through cooking, they are introduced to basic math facts and develop a sense of independence. The children also learn how to use simple utensils, perform activities in sequential order, practice different food preparations, and they are able to observe foods in different forms.
• At the Library Center, the children listen to and participate in stories, develop pre-literacy and literacy skills, and improve their vocabulary. The children love exploring all facets of books while practicing self-expression, following directions, and discovering sound-symbol relationships. This is a very important center for early readers.
• The hands on math and science tools at the Table Toys (Manipulatives) Center don't even seem like learning tools! Here the children develop cognitive and language skills, they learn about living and non-living things, and they discover information about quantity and quality and measurement relationships. Here again they take turns to learn about properties of substances, and number, letter, and shape recognition and matching.
• Each week we will introduce the children to a letter and the sound the letter makes to teach Phonemic Awareness. We would ask that you take a minute at home and help your child find items that start with the weekly letter to bring in to share during circle time.
• In the preschool Religion curriculum, we lead three-year-old children to know and love the God who made them. The main goal of the program is to prepare the children to become committed Catholics who comprehend and live by the truths of our faith. This goal is achieved through daily prayer, developmentally appropriate play, sensory experiences, manipulative activities, Bible stories, poems and songs. The classroom centers change weekly according to the religious lesson. This wonderful program helps children understand how important they are in the sight of God and to each of us.
• The children learn valuable Computer Skills playing educational games on the computers. The games the preschoolers participate in teach them to recognize shapes, patterns and colors. They also learn about patterns, which is an important math concept.

Cindi Hysell

Philosophy: The primary focus of our 4 Year Preschool Program is to help children develop a strong sense of self-esteem and feelings of independence and competence through developmentally appropriate hands on, activity based strategies from research based programs. In addition to this curriculum, the preschoolers are offered P.E. and Music. We will also send home a weekly newsletter to keep parents informed of classroom activities. Much of the teaching is accomplished through games and play. Play is a natural way for children to learn social skills, problem solving skills, and discover new concepts through hands on learning in the following areas:

One of the most important aspects of our preschool program is Religion. We focus on the teachings of the Catholic Church. For example, we learn about the Holy Trinity, the unconditional love of God, Jesus as our friend, the Holy Family, and some introductory prayers. The children learn to recognize the church building, the contents, and some Catholic traditions and practices. All the centers and lessons are associated with the weekly religious lesson. The children learn to treat others with respect and dignity and to love each other as Jesus loves us. The lessons are reinforced by reading daily Bible stories.

To gain Pre-Literacy skills, the children will be read to at least ten minutes per day, have access to books and books on tape, and perform book related activities. Many items in the classroom are labeled to help with word and name recognition. Writing skills and hand-eye coordination are introduced.

All of the children will have time on the Waterford Reading Computer Program. This program is a great way to learn Beginning Reading through stories and songs, letter sounds and recognition, and segmenting and blending of letters to make words.

The children learn beginning Math skills through patterning, math games, counting and sorting, and number recognition.

A large area of growth for preschoolers is their Social/Emotional skills. Children gain these skills through sharing, waiting, treating others with respect, and make believe play. In the Dramatic Play Center, the children experience various real life settings such as the house center, doctor's office, restaurant, post office, and grocery store. The children can interact with each other while gaining valuable life skills.

Children love to express themselves through Art and in our preschool program, they are allowed to experiment with different art mediums. The children make candles from scratch, for example, and use their creativity to make gifts for others.

Our preschoolers get to explore things around them through different Sensory experiences. It's important for children to be able to learn about substances by touching such things as corn meal, flour, water, sand, worms and dirt, ice, snow, gelatin, and a variety of other items from the world around them.

Science experiments such as raising butterflies from caterpillars, observing worms in dirt, growing flowers from seeds, making volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar, and learning about and observing weather are wonderful educational experiences for our preschoolers to participate in.

The children will learn beginning Cooking skills such as measuring, sifting, stirring and nutrition. They gain self esteem by seeing a project through to the end and learn beginning math skills.

The children go on various Field Trips to help them learn about their world. These outings relate to various class lessons such as going to the Police Department and Fire Station when they are studying safety, and going to the Zoo and a farm when they are studying God's creatures.

Diane O'Hearn

Shannon Thomas

Philosophy: The Kindergartners at Holy Spirit learn Math, Reading and Language Arts through a variety of methods including but not limited to experimentation (cause and effect), playing, exploration, singing, praying, reading and writing, computer technology, real life application, listening, and graphing. Our goal is to have the Kindergartners writing proficiently and reading at least at a first grade level by the end of the school year. The children master appropriate grade level math vocabulary and are introduced to and practice many basic math concepts throughout the year. They attend Mass once a week and are introduced to our Catholic faith primarily by modeling life as Christians. They are also offered P.E. and Music. We make it our goal to develop and nurture the whole person at Holy Spirit starting at the very earliest age. The following areas are the main focus of our all day Kindergarten program:

In Language Arts, the Kindergartners learn (at least) two new languages; Sign Language and Spanish. The children thoroughly explore and learn how to sign, speak and write the alphabet, numbers, words and sentences. For Literacy, Holy Spirit has set a goal to have the Kindergartners reading and writing at least at the first grade level by the end of the year. In order to meet this goal, the students practice rhyming, syllable break down, sounds and sound combinations, vowels, consonants, creative writing and illustration, and punctuation. We occasionally even give the children simple homework to take home and do with their parents or families. It's a great way to involve the caregivers and build the children's self esteem.

The Kindergartners are introduced to Math Concepts using fun games and various methods as follows:

• They practice Cooking and baking with an introductory emphasis on counting, measurement and fractions.
• They are taught about the Span of Time doing daily activities with their calendars.
• They use Manipulatives to discover patterns and are then asked to find and explore patterns in real life.
• They can identify, name and count all the U.S. coins and use appropriate Comparative Language with regards to money and numbers.
• The children learn to Count in whole numbers to 100, as well as backwards and forwards by 5's and 10's.
• Using dice and other concrete, pictorial and symbolic Math Models, they are introduced to addition and subtraction. The Kindergartners can recognize and reproduce the basic geometric shapes and play games that require them to organize data in graph form.
• Finally, the children are taught math, basic Computer Technology and use, and other components of the curriculum on their state of the art, internet accessible computers in a supervised setting.

The way in which the Kindergartners are taught is in a positive and "hands on" learning environment. In addition to the academics we stress in the Kindergarten curriculum, we believe it is necessary to develop the whole person. We strive to create a sense of community that nurtures and treasures each and every individual as Christ would have us do. So for their Social development, the Kindergartners learn how to play and get along together in a group, how to follow instructions, how to treat others with the respect and dignity that humanity deserves, and how to serve the community.

We have had great success introducing our positive reinforcement discipline program to the Kindergartners. At Holy Spirit, this constructive form of discipline in which we work at "catching" students doing good things, is our primary form of regulation. Further, we have a school Code of Conduct that we expect every child to adhere to. This expectation brings out the utmost respect, honesty, responsibility, and service in each student.

The Kindergartners join the rest of the school community for Mass at least once weekly. They are taught some traditional Catholic prayers and how to conduct themselves respectfully in church. They Pray together daily in class. We teach the children Christian concepts such as giving thanks, patience, celebrating our differences, and that all life is a gift from God. We teach these concepts through prayer, communion with God, and modeling life as Christians.

Jeanette Betty

Philosophy: The first graders at Holy Spirit are grouped by ability so that they may learn the prescribed curriculum to their full potential as individuals. In addition to Reading, Language Arts, Math, and Religion, the first graders are also introduced to Social Studies and Science in more detail. There are small class sizes, some individualized instruction, centers, and a new emphasis on independent study. All of our students are offered P.E. and Music in addition to their academic program. The Holy Spirit first graders are taught in an environment that allows them to learn in a more structured yet encouraging environment that suits their growing maturity. The first grade curriculum contains the following:

The first graders are given ample opportunity to discover the joy of Reading. They work on story writing, discuss ideas, explore poetry, check out books from the library, and produce book reports. The students practice reading daily, refine their reading skill, and focus on reading comprehension. For those students that qualify, the STAR Accelerated Reading Program is available too. Phonemic awareness is a large part of the first grade Language Arts program. This includes letter recognition and the corresponding sound, blends, and the introduction of high frequency words.

The Math program includes an introduction to math terms and vocabulary, plus the basic math facts and fact families. The children perform repetition of math facts in order to cement this most important foundation early on. Our first graders are asked to do problem solving and analyze basic word problems. They begin math computation including addition, subtraction and grouping. Holy Spirit first graders that qualify are also introduced to the Houghton Mifflin Accelerated Math program.

The first graders enjoy discovering the world of plants, animals, anatomy, space and the earth in their Science curriculum. Through their Discovery Works curriculum, they complete the following segments: Magnets, Earth's Land and Water, Keeping Fit and Healthy, Weather and the Seasons, and Living Things. They read, discuss, and write about these topics both at school and at home. Sometimes they even perform simple hands on experiments with plants, reptiles, and magnets. They study bears and then put their own teddy bears into hibernation until spring when they wake up again. They also study a supplemental curriculum about the oceans and space. This exciting segment includes a night class to observe the skies and a trip to the museum in Idaho Falls. There are several field trips which fortify all of these units, including but not limited to a trip to the Museum of Natural History, McKee's Pet Store, Marshall Public Library, and Town & Country Gardens.

With a budding sense of the larger world around them, the students in first grade study maps, foreign countries, and are introduced to all of the continents. They are asked to do an oral history report from an older family member when they study family traditions. They learn the origins of certain holiday celebrations, new information about Native and African Americans, and learn to recognize different aspects of our civic duties. Also in Social Studies, the Holy Spirit first graders are taught the Spanish language and culture three times a week.

The first grade class is allowed 200 minutes of Computer Technology each week per student. They enjoy educational computer games and in general become more proficient with the mouse, the software, and the computer hardware in a supervised setting. First graders are assigned weekly homework packets that reinforce what they learn at school in math, reading and language arts, and involve their families in their education process. They are expected to abide by the school Code of Conduct and treat all people with respect. Also, the first grades participate weekly in P.E. and Music.

Holy Spirit's first grade Religious Ed is taken from the Christ Our Life Workbook and the focus is on the theme "God is Good". They learn new prayers, study the Saints, and gain a more meaningful understanding of the religious holidays. The children learn the importance of community service with several outreach programs through the year. For example, it's a tradition for the first and second graders to visit the Veteran's Center every year.

Nancy Corgiat

Philosophy: The overall emphasis in Holy Spirit's second grade is the application of the students' maturing academic skills to enhance their critical thinking and problem solving abilities. With a continued emphasis on the core curriculum of Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies, the second grade year is a very important year for the religious development of the children as well. The children are introduced to Fine Arts as they explore new perspectives. In addition to these areas of study, the students are taught Music and P.E. as well. The following are the areas of study for the second grade year at Holy Spirit:

The Literacy curriculum focuses on increasing reading vocabulary, fluency and comprehension, and developing basic writing competence through a modified Patricia Cunningham "Four Block" modeled approach: guided reading, independent reading, working with words (phonics) and writing. For reading, areas of instruction include interpreting main ideas (elements) of a story, prediction and sequencing, understanding problems and solutions, detailing settings, and identification of main and subordinate characters. Students learn to distinguish between fiction and non-fiction texts, and are introduced to point of view, story comparison, and character relationships, as well as a heavy concentration on comprehension. Numerous opportunities for the children to participate in extended reading are promoted, including the Accelerated Reader program, Pizza Hut "Book-It" and a Spring Reading Challenge. Children learn how to read in first grade, now they transition into reading to learn.

Writing is taught as a basic and vital form of expression and communication. Beginning skills are developed into proper sentence structure and basic writing formats, with students focusing on spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and handwriting (the D'Nealian method). They learn a structured sequencing process, beginning paragraphing, friendly letter format, simple story writing, various poetry options, and editing skills. The second graders are assigned research projects, in conjunction with the science curriculum, which promote non-fiction writing skills. When possible, the students participate in a pen pal program in cooperation with ISU student interns or local peer classrooms. This initiative helps reinforce essential life long letter writing skills and general correspondence techniques. Yearly writing endeavors include the Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest and theYoung Author's Conference.

Students strengthen their Math skills in basic addition and subtraction facts, and are introduced to simple fractions, early multiplication and division, basic algebra and geometry. Skills are honed using interactive programs provided on the computers, or with hands-on manipulatives and concept specific games. Double and triple digit addition with regrouping (borrowing) as well as subtraction regrouping (borrowing) is introduced and practiced. Emphasis throughout the year includes patterning, place value, mental math and problem solving strategies, as well as learning how to create and interpret a variety of graphs and tables. Students reinforce time skills (hour, half hour, quarter hour, elapsed time), money skills (recognizing, understanding and manipulating money combinations), and standard linear and liquid measurement skills.

The areas of study in the second grade Science curriculum include learning about interactions between living and nonliving things, prehistoric timelines, matter, energy, nutrition and related seasonal science. Hands-on learning is stressed through interactive projects and simple chemistry experiments. Students complete two research presentations that include a written report with complimentary artifacts or posters, and a diorama. Internet usage and complimentary websites are encouraged.

The Social Science curriculum emphasizes neighborhoods and communities. The students study safety awareness, map reading, basic global geography, and significant holidays. Related field trips to enhance the curriculum include tours of the police station and city council, TV news studio, museum, library, veteran's center, and recycling center. Outreach programs from Idaho Power and the zoo are included as well.

Fine Arts are designed to give the children an appreciation of all kinds of art forms. Students participate in various art contests, the Passion Play, Poetry Wall, and the Cre-Act Speech Festival.

In Religious Education, the focal points are the study, understanding and celebration of the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, so very important to our faith. The children expand their comprehension of the Mass liturgy, as well as several basic tenants of the Catholic Church. They participate in the preparation of school Masses, Stations of the Cross, and other parish events.

Debby Belcher

Philosophy: The third grade at Holy Spirit is decisive because it is the bridge between the primary elementary and secondary elementary grades. The students transition from activities that are practiced in a group setting at the beginning of the year to independent work by the end of the year. The goal in the Holy Spirit third grade is to provide the students with a wide curriculum, layering new skills on previously acquired ones, and with an emphasis on reading, language, math and religion. It is our belief that every child can be successful, if they have a strong background in these areas prior to moving into the upper grades. The following are the areas of study for the third grade:

The Language Arts curriculum in the third grade focuses on written expression, handwriting, the writing process (first draft, revisions, and final draft/publish), spelling, word analysis, improved listening skills, and dictionary skills. During the school year, the students will transition from manuscript writing to cursive writing in all of the curriculum areas. In addition, writing assignments occur throughout the curriculum as well. Students will practice and expand their knowledge of graphic organizers and the writing process to inform, describe, persuade, summarize, and entertain. These writing activities will also be used to reinforce concepts learned in the language arts, i.e., capitalization, punctuation, parts of speech, and spelling patterns. Students will continue to practice word families, spelling patterns, Word Wall and high frequency words. Throughout the year, students will be expected to use their knowledge of dictionaries, glossaries, and their texts to help build spelling proficiency. They are encouraged to participate in the Cre-Act Speech Festival.

In the third grade Reading program, students will continue to expand their reading skills in the different genres. For example, throughout the school year students will be exposed to diaries, Native American legends, historical fiction, biographies, fantasy, and informational stories. The students will practice points of view, symbolism, and paraphrasing. They will work on prediction and taking clues from the context. With the diverse types of literature they are exposed to, students will learn to identify and use the different parts of a book, such as the table of contents, glossary, and the index. The Accelerated Reader program is a fun and competitive way for the students to improve their reading skills as they listen to a number of stories and then take a test to determine their level of comprehension.

In the Accelerated Math program, the students in third grade can excel in Math if they choose and are able, through the process of testing and re-testing to build on previously mastered skill sets. Like the Accelerated Math, the mathematics curriculum also builds on previously acquired skills. The focus is on addition and subtraction computation with an introduction into multiplication concepts. Some will progress into fractions and double digit algorithms, but again it is presented at the individual students' pace. They practice addition and subtraction facts through twenty and they are introduced to large numbers up to four digits. With an emphasis on critical thinking, the students apply their math skills to solve word problems and discover real life applications of math. They will also order numbers, using comparative symbols and language, and learn about place value. There is patterning, measurement, time, counting with money, math models and graphs. Lastly, an introduction to basic Geometry helps the students to understand more about common shapes such as polygons.

In the third grade Science curriculum, the students study and do experiments with seeds and plants. They study the life cycles of animals and insects as well, with hands on activities like discovering how a tadpole turns into a frog. There is an extensive unit on space in which the students will explore, study, and write about different aspects of space. They understand more fully the scientific process and learn to apply it by hypothesizing, testing and then analyzing the results. They study the different states of matter and volume. They are taught about different environments and how they affect organisms, animals, plants, and climate. In recent years, they've been going to Dee's ceramics for a mini science and craft lesson.

The Social Studies program in Holy Spirit's third grade exposes the students to different types of communities. Students will learn not only how people have adapted to their environments, but many of the struggles they faced. One way to cement this unit is by going on a field trip to the Bannock Historical Museum. In addition to studying peoples, cultures, and communities, the third graders will work with different types of maps, time lines, and flow charts. The curriculum has an emphasis on Native American people and the Lewis and Clark stories.

The third grade is very exciting with respect to Religion as they present the "Passion Play" each spring. Also, they focus in detail on David, Moses, Ruth and Abraham, some of the most endearing figures in the Bible.

Meg Downey

Margie Ney Gabiola

Philosophy: The fourth grade at Holy Spirit is special because, as the teachers put it, they place God in the center of all things. From this central stance, the students have the confidence to address their fourth grade year with the zeal and curiosity that children should have. The fourth grade is co-taught which gives the students the unique benefit of receiving instruction from two high quality teachers with very different strengths and perspectives. In addition to a heavy focus on the ever important academics, music, and P.E., there is a strong emphasis on Idaho history culminating in a three day trip to Boise, the capitol of Idaho. This is a very educational and memorable field trip that the students look forward to year after year. These kinds of trips and special emphasis in certain areas of study is one of the things that makes our school stand out and can't be found at many other institutions. The following are the main areas of study for the Holy Spirit fourth grade:

The Reading/Language Arts program works toward increasing vocabulary skills through phonics in order to enhance reading comprehension. There are three forms of technology available to students to help accomplish their goals: Accelerated Reader, Book Adventure, and the Scholastic Reader program where the students read and then take comprehension tests. The children are encouraged to read aloud in Masses, to read independently, and to participate in whole group reading where the class reads and then discusses trade books as a class. The students are challenged at their own pace.

The fourth grade uses the McGraw-Hill language arts curriculum and in it they delve into many areas of written expression. They hone their skills writing personal narratives, informal personal letters, journal entries for their religion curriculum, and reports on the Saints. The class completes extensive units in reading and writing poetry, and plays. Each year they perform a play for the parent body at the end of this unit. They also work in more detail on grammar, where they're breaking sentences down into the different parts of speech.

In the fourth grade Math program, the students will recite their basic math facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in one minute time tests progressing through the year. The students are able to work at their pace with individualized instruction in the math centers. They enjoy educational internet activities and games on the school laptops at least three times per week. The standard and metric forms of measurement are utilized so they need to understand how to apply them. Critical thinking and problem solving is a strong focus so the children are asked to solve more difficult story problems that involve multiplication and division. Many of the science experiments that the fourth graders will perform require practical application of math skills and the math program is also integrated with Social Studies.

Computer technology is an important part of the Science program in the fourth grade. The children work together to create a cookbook which gives them hands on experience with the different states of matter and then they use Power Point to put the cookbook together. They also do a Power point presentation on the planets at the conclusion of their unit on space. There is a unit on the human body and the students perform various hands on experiments, including a study of how oxidation affects the Statue of Liberty, to find the volume of objects, and they produce an astronomical unit scale of the planets.

Social Studies are a big focus of the year because of the Boise trip. The students will have a very good understanding of Idaho history when they're done, enhanced by the study of maps and map symbols, geography, Native Americans, Lewis and Clark, and fur trappers and traders. There are various trips associated with these studies as well as guest speakers. They also explore different peoples, cultures and time through these study units and field trips. There is a unit on Government that culminates in tours of the Local, County and Federal buildings.

The fourth graders participate in an extensive Art program. They create realistic art as well as abstract art using various methods and media. For example, they learn about pointillism, realistic drawing, printing, and abstracting, and the tools they use to accomplish this include pencils, chalk, oil pastels, paint, sculpture, collage, and clay. They also study the following art masters: Picasso, Lois Sherr Dubin, M.C. Escher, Louise Nevelson, Michelangelo, Van Gough, Matisse, George Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Leonardo da Vinci, and Winslow Homer.

Being asked to learn about and report on the Saints and find passages in the Bible are part of the fourth grade Religion curriculum. They also learn the parts of the Mass, the Ten Commandments, and how to make Advent wreath and rosaries. They explore the Stations of the Cross and then paint a representation of it. In general, the religious instruction emphasizes living our faith in everything we do and the teachers try to provide a Christian environment that is conducive to learning.

Debra Reams

Philosophy: The overall emphasis in the fifth grade at Holy Spirit is United States History and Geography. In addition, there is a working weather station on the roof so that the students may study the weather in great detail. The fifth grade Science, Social Studies, United States History, Geography and Math curriculum are all integrated with an emphasis on real life application of this new information. Each spring, our fifth grade students anxiously await the memorable and educational Expedition Yellowstone field trip that offers them hands on experience with and observation of geology, botany, land forms, mapping, plants and animals, ecosystems and classification. In addition to Music and P.E., the following are the areas of study in the fifth grade:

In keeping with one of the central themes being United States History, the Reading/Language Arts program deals primarily with American authors and U.S. settings. The students read a variety of genres including historical novels, journals, biographies, fantasies, legends, and newspapers. The instructor reads aloud to the students to improve their listening skills and the students also participate in reading groups. The students are required to complete multiple book reports and study poetry. They are encouraged to make their own journals. For example, the students are asked to write a journal as if they were a part of the Underground Railroad and map out the route they took to freedom and their adventures along the way. Bringing science and language arts together, the students journal their scientific findings when they go to Yellowstone. The students give oral presentations on the people in literature they're introduced to complete with costume, maps, food and artifacts from the period.

Critical thinking and problem solving are the focus of the fifth grade Math program. The children will learn how to solve multi-step word problems, solve for an unknown by translating word statements into an algebraic equation, experiment, collect and use data, and apply logical reasoning to deduce answers from problems. The basic math facts in fifth grade include the reinforcement of addition, subtraction, and multiplication, as well as place value, decimals, fractions, geometry and whole numbers. In addition, they master math vocabulary in the following areas: math facts, weights and measurement, estimation, comparing and ordering, estimation and use of data, place values, rounding, decimals, and fractions.

The Science program is greatly enhanced by the working weather station on the roof of the school. The students get the unique opportunity to perform a full weather report each morning with cloud observations and forecast for the day. Another unique aspect of the fifth grade science program is the field trip they take each spring to Yellowstone National Park. This trip is a week long science expedition, lead by rangers and scientists. The class prepares for the trip by studying geology, botany, classification, landforms, mapping, ecosystems, weather patterns, and other things earth science related. Also part of the plant and animal studies are dissection, art projects including 3-D models, and reports on animals.

Maps are a large part of the Social Studies and History curriculum in the fifth grade because of the focus on the United States. The U.S. state borders are often along rivers, mountains and oceans, and many historical events also took place in these areas. The students do map work with compasses and make their own relief map. They create a Geography note book throughout the year, which includes a map and information about each state. In addition, they are required to do state reports and U.S. national park visual reports. Historical events and figures of the United States are taught through literature and various activities already described. The children participate in role playing of U.S. History, do weekly U.S. studies, and read the newspaper. From the newspaper, the students learn and discuss many aspects of Civics and Government, including what makes this country a republic and what role the government plays in our lives. This is a great exercise in critical thinking and helps prepare the children for their world.

The fifth grade year encompasses cross curricular activities where art is included in many forms in the activities they do. Examples of fifth grade Creative Outlet include dying Ukrainian Easter eggs and creating American crafts such as knitting, bookmaking, wheat weaving, papermaking, felting, spinning, and quilting.

Technology use is a big part of the daily classroom routine in the fifth grade. For example, the students check various internet sites during the day for weather information, and use the laptop station to visit a site offers virtual interactive tours of the U.S. National Parks. They also use electronic tools to help develop ideas and organize thinking, and one to help with written expression.

In Religion, the focus is on the Seven Sacraments. The students also enjoy learning about different religious symbols in art, and the meaning and practices behind them throughout Christian history.

Megan Almy

Philosophy: The overall emphasis in sixth grade is to prepare students for the successful transition into middle school. Sixth grade is a critical learning year. Many previously learned concepts are reinforced and mastered. New concepts are introduced that will be built upon in middle school. Large projects are used to integrate many aspects of the curriculum. Probably the most exciting aspect of the sixth grade year is the week-long trip to Seattle, Washington, providing a great learning and social experience. The following are the main areas of focus for the sixth grade:

The foundation of 6th grade Reading/Writing instruction is quality children's literature. Students will read and reflect on many books independently and with classmates. Students will continue using previously introduced skills such as distinguishing between fiction and nonfiction, understanding theme as a story element, reading information to answer questions, using reference materials, reading and understanding words with prefixes and suffixes, and making oral presentations. New skills introduced include the analysis of styles and language structures that exist in stories and finding words with opposite meanings within the context of a passage. The Accelerated Reader program used in the middle schools is also utilized. Students read books from selected lists and are tested on their comprehension of the material. On a weekly basis, students also share their reading expertise with younger students through the Reading Buddy program.

Students write often in all curriculum areas and study the craft of respected authors. Students use the writing process (pre-write, first draft, revise and edit, final draft, and publish/share). They also study literary devices (simile, metaphor, alliteration, idioms, irony, and hyperbole) in writing. Each student will also write for a variety of purposes, including self-expression. Example writing projects include letters, poems, journals, narratives, persuasive paragraphs, a research paper, and an autobiography. Grammar lessons include identification and use of compound sentences, correct use of irregular verbs, correct use of apostrophes, and subject-verb agreement. New skills introduced include identification of phrases, clauses and direct/indirect objects in written work.

Mathematics instruction is based on each student's needs and abilities. Pretests are used to determine students' working abilities. As students master skills, they are tested and move on to the next skill set. Manipulatives are used to supplement the mathematics text. Students apply the four step problem solving process (understand, plan, solve, and look back), use a variety of strategies to solve problems, estimate to predict results and evaluate answers, use tables, charts and graphs, convert mixed numbers and improper fractions, use inequality symbols to complete number sentences, add and subtract fractions, explore units of measure for length, weight, etc., use coordinate grid systems and explore probability. Students will also use scientific notation, relate common fractions to decimals and percents, and use the order of operations.

The Science curriculum is enhanced through the use of "hands-on" projects. Students use the scientific method (hypothesis, observation or experimentation, measurement of results, and conclusion), examine how natural phenomena and human interaction can alter the environment, and explore force and its effects on objects. New concepts and skills include plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes, the components of a living cell, the concept of speed (change/position/time), the properties of force and motion, and the nature of matter.

The Social Studies curriculum focuses on the history of ancient world cultures. Students recognize and compare common factors among different cultures, locate and label geographical entities (continents, countries, rivers, mountain ranges, gulfs and seas) on a map, explore how climate affects human migration and settlement, and look at the interaction between humans and the environment. Each student will prepare a research report on a self-selected social studies topic. New skills and concepts introduced include the major regions of the ancient era, the structure of the Greek city-states, the transformation of Rome from republic to empire, the characteristics of types of governments, the definition of civilization, the skills of ancient peoples, and the development of written communication in ancient Egypt.

The Religion curriculum used is the Boise Diocese curriculum, Christ Our Life. The 6th grade program focuses on the study of the Old Testament. The students also participate in weekly school masses.

William Reece

Philosophy - Preschool and Kindergarten: The purpose of Physical Education with Preschool and Kindergarten students is to teach the initial concept of teamwork with an emphasis on sharing, and to expose students to a variety of activities. Children participate in activities that are quite fun thus creating a positive attitude towards exercise in general. The sports and games in this program are also designed to give the students the opportunity to work with their classmates creating an environment where cooperation is key. By introducing these concepts, students gain a sense of confidence and community which will enhance their interpersonal relationships and behaviors at school, at home, and in any social setting.

Philosophy - First Grade through Sixth Grade: The purpose of P.E. for the older students at Holy Spirit is to create well rounded individuals and build on that earlier concept of cooperation and community. Whether in sports, in school, at home, or with friends, the ability to work with others is vital; activities in P.E. are designed with this in mind. Each activity enables a student to challenge his or her self while facilitating cooperation among peers and improving self esteem. The students are encouraged to better their performance in a fun and safe environment. Further, students are given the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports where they learn the basic rules and concepts of the game and good sportsmanship.

The following is a list of some of the activities and sports the children participate in:

Diana Shipley (photo not available)

Philosophy: In Music Education, the primary focus is to create a genuine love of music and appreciation for cultural diversity. In each grade level, the children discuss music from around the world and learn to vocalize music in other languages. The classes look at cultural similarities and differences. The students explore the world by listening to and learning about music, and vocalizing and moving to world and regional music. The students are given the opportunity to play different instruments to reinforce the music curriculum and cultural awareness. Each grade builds on skills introduced in previous years. Finally, they discuss music history in many of the grades as well. The following is a break down of the music curriculum by grade:

• Preschoolers learn the concepts of high and low pitches, loud and soft music sounds, singing, and musical movement. Students are introduced to Orff instruments and drums.
• In addition to the above, Kindergartners learn the dynamics of music in more detail, and the duration of music in long and short notes. They are introduced to the idea of a steady beat and use vocalization, instrumentation, and movement to illustrate all musical concepts. They learn "sol", "mi" and "la".
• The First Grade is introduced to quarter notes "ta" using vocalization, body percussion, movement and instrumentation to reinforce skills.
• In the Second Grade, the students also learn eighth notes "ti ti" and quarter rests. They start recognizing written notes and rhythmic patterns. The Solfege syllables "do", "mi", "sol", and "la" are mastered.
• Third Graders add dynamic markings (ppp-fff) with language to explain. They perform on Orff instruments and other percussion instruments.
• In the Fourth Grade, the children begin singing rounds and two to three part songs. We also work on Solfege skills adding "re".
• We build on all previously acquired skills, adding work with rhythmic patterns in the Fifth Grade. We create and notate rhythmic patterns, then transfer to instruments, playing individually and in ensembles.
• In the Sixth Grade, again building on previously acquired skills, the students are now playing instruments such as xylophones and metalophones in two and three parts. The students learn to accompany themselves as they sing on their instruments. Also, they continue the folk dance tradition and studying all elements of music.