Fifth Grade
Homeroom Teacher: Rev. Stephen Rosebrock
WORK IN PROGRESS... COME BACK SOON FOR THE WHOLE PICTURE!
A typical day for a fifth grade student at Hope Lutheran School goes something like this.
- Students arrive between 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and get unpacked and settled in for the day.
- Penmanship: After students get settled they work on a penmanship assignment individually. This assignment will be poetry, a hymn stanza, Latin vocabulary words, selections from Scripture, or perhaps something else. The penmanship assignment is typically written in cursive with a fountain pen, as writing with this type of pen helps students master the motor skills necessary to have elegant and graceful handwriting. Sometimes the assignment will allow them to print. Throughout the day students write in script and print because maintaining both is important.
- Theology: Theology is the first "class" of the day as penmanship is individual work at their seat while the morning routine takes place. They first pray together as a class, often using a rite from Lutheran Service Book. On Wednesdays they walk to church where they pray Matins with the entire school. Following their morning prayers they drill the assigned memory work for the week. The memory work assignment is an excerpt from Luther's Small Catechism and Scripture each week. On Friday students recite their memory work individually for evaluation. Each day a story from Scripture is read together and discussed. At the conclusion of Theology students pick hymns from Lutheran Service Book to sing together.
- Latin: At Hope students use the North American edition of the Cambridge Latin Course. This course (like the Oxford Latin Course) gives students the ability to translate right from the start. Translation exercises are historical fiction stories from the ancient city of Pompeii. This gives students a wonderful understanding of Roman culture as well as learning the Latin language. The Cambridge Latin Course is supplemented with Latin grammar drills and exercises. You can find more out about the Cambridge Latin Course at http://www.cambridgescp.com/.
- Grammar: At Hope students spend time during the day mastering the mechanics of language. Grammar class gives students the opportunity to master both their writing skills and the analytical skills. Regular time is devoted to classifying (diagraming) sentences and writing essays. Because Latin and grammar are taught back to back students benefit from studying how grammar works in both languages and can make comparisons, this strenghens their understanding of the mechanics of both languages and will be to their advantage as they study other languages in high school. Hope schools uses the Shurley English, you can find more out this at http://www.shurley.com/new/index.jsp.
- Spelling: http://www.sittonspelling.com/philosophy/
- Science
- Literature: Students must learn to love great books. At Hope students do not use a reading textbook or primer, but rather they read unabridged books. This is one of the many benefits of the Spalding Reading Method which is used at Hope School; you can find more out about Spalding Reading at http://www.spalding.org/.
- Recess and Lunch: With the morning classes complete the fifth graders are eager to head outside to "let loose" just a little. Favorite games are dodge ball (always kept friendly!), home run derby, basketball, and jump rope. After recess the students wash up and head to the cafeteria for lunch. Their homeroom teacher, Kantor Rosebrock, plays with them at recess (supervises recess) and eats lunch with his class every day.
- Math: Mastery of mathematics requires that a student is always practicing his or her math skills while learning new. The typical math lesson in fifth grade begins with "facts practice" where students practice basic skills such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, converting improper fractions to mixed numbers, etc. Following the drill of a basic skill student complete five to eight math problems that are completed through mental calculation - no paper. Each day in math a new concept is presented and students complete approximately 30 math problems each day for homework. This homework provides practice of the new concept presented in that day's lecture as well as reviews skills that preceded the current lesson. At Hope, the Saxon math series is used, more information can be found at http://saxonpublishers.harcourtachieve.com/.
- History
- Choir / Art / Physical Education
- Band: Twice a week students have the option of enrolling in the instrumental instruction program offered through Lutheran High School South. The students have a small group lesson twice a week. These young instrumentalists join forces with other students from area Lutheran schools to present several concerts each year.
- Homeroom: Each day concludes with a 40 minute homeroom period where students review their assignments for the day and get a start on their homework. This gives an opportunity to ask questions and get extra help before going home. Also, Kantor Rosebrock reads aloud when there is time to his students. This year they are working their way through the Chronicles of Narnia together.