Curriculum

General
Information

St. Joseph Catholic School serves students in kindergarten through grade eight. In serving these nine grade levels it presents the school with the unique opportunity to teach the basic skills in the lower grade levels, and then require use of the basic skills in order to acquire additional information during the middle school years. This traditional educational approach is spiral based, and builds upon previous learning.

In addition to our academic program, students are taught study skills, and organizational skills. Students receive instruction in webbing, outlining, and note taking in order to help prepare for the demands of high school. The use of an assignment book allows students to track necessary homework assignments and to take responsibility for their learning.

Higher level thinking skills are used throughout the curriculum. Students are regularly called upon to analyze, synthesize and evaluate information throughout their core area subjects.

(Click on a subject to view details)

Religion	Reading	English	Math
Science	Social Studies	Art	Music
Physical Education	Library	Computer	Guidance
	Spanish	Pathways

In grades K-5 students receive instruction through a religion text. The Faith First religion series takes a spiral approach to learning our Catholic faith. The four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church – Creed, Sacraments, Morality, and Prayer are taught and developed on every grade level each year. This approach helps to reinforce the beliefs of our faith as our students grow, develop, and mature in their faith. Bible readings, an introduction to the parts of the mass, and the study of the seasons of the Church year are taught and incorporated into the curriculum. In second grade our students receive instruction for the First Holy Communion and First Eucharist.

In the middle religion program, students begin a deeper and more focused look at our Catholic faith. Students continue to use the Faith First textbook series, as well as their own Bible. Students concentrate on a study of the New Testament, with an emphasis on Scripture development, author background, and relation to their faith today. Students are introduced to the first one thousand years of Church History. This look at the important people, places and events of early Catholicism helps students see how our faith has been formed. In the eighth grade religion program, students finalize their study of religion, which is meant to prepare students for high school theology as well as history. During this year’s curriculum, students continue their study of the Church from the year 1000 to present and engage in an exciting study of Catholic Morality. This look at the Catholic moral life gives students an overview of how it often places the Catholic Church in opposition to contemporary social issues. Students take on this study of the teachings of the Catholic Church on morality and social justice in order to learn how to make their own responsible decisions based on solid Catholic doctrine as they are led by the Holy Spirit.

At St. Joseph Catholic School, learning about the Catholic faith doesn’t happen only in the classroom. Students practice their faith through activities throughout the year. Weekly mass is celebrated on Tuesday morning at 8:15. Homerooms assist in the planning of the mass and within the mass as readers, gift bearers and choral singers. Events such as daily prayer, The Living Rosary, Blessing of the Pets, prayer services, and retreats offer students the opportunity to deepen their connection with God, our Father.

An important aspect of the school is service to others. Stewardship begins with the kindergarten students and continues to our eighth grade students. Our students are called upon throughout the school year to assist others within the parish, metro Atlanta area and outside the country. The collection of canned food for Food Banks, the collection of school supplies for children in foreign countries, the collection of money for adults and children with cancer, and many other service projects each allow the students the opportunity to give to those in need.

Students are given direct instruction in main idea and supporting details in order to gain an understanding of the printed word. Instruction in higher level skills, such as predicting, and inference, as well as using context clues, allow students additional reading strategies in order to aid in the comprehension of the text.

In grades 6-8, students are reading in order to learn. Students use a literature series which exposes them to a variety of reading genres. Reading plays, poems, short stories, fiction, and non-fiction exposes students to different genres, while continuing to build necessary reading strategies and skills for entrance into high school.

Students in grades 6-8 build upon the fundamentals of grammar in conjunction with student-created writing. Students continue to expand their basic skills in vocabulary and traditional grammar and demonstrate mastery of conventions, usage, and mechanics of language. The writing emphasizes the use of grammatically correct paragraphs as a means of assisting students with self-expression. Thinking, speaking, and writing skills are applied to create clear, logical, and coherent written expression. Specific focus for this course is on expository writing, with larger focus on research documentation in a multi-paragraph essay. For students in eighth grade, focus is on research documentation in a traditional research paper. The rigorous course of writing will prepare students for both high school and standardized testing. Students participate in the Spelling Bee and the Oratorical Contest; they also have the opportunity to participate in regional and national writing contests.

During the middle school years, math instruction reinforces and enhances basic math concepts including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Other concepts such as integers, equations, geometry, probability, statistics, the conversion and usage of percents, equations and functions, fractions, decimals and proportions are also covered.

Algebra 1 is a flexible program with solid content to strengthen student’s understanding and provide the tools students need to succeed. The vocabulary of Algebra is a constant focus while attending to the areas of: expressions and equations; linear functions; polynomials and nonlinear functions; and radical and rational functions. Pre-Algebra students learn the fundamental concepts of Algebra. This includes properties, rational numbers, equations, functions, percents, proportions, inequalities, statistics, and geometry. Pre-Algebra is taught as an honors class in seventh grade and as an on grade-level class in eighth grade.

For our highest achieving math students an Honor’s Math course rounds out the math curriculum at the school. In an age appropriate manner, these students are expected to work beyond the content of their classroom text, to develop mathematical habits of mind, to become more mathematically literate, and to solve problems with reason, insight, inventiveness, and technical proficiency.

During the middle school years, this course of study expands on prior knowledge of science concepts covered in elementary school. Sixth grade science is a general overview of topics including life, earth and environmental sciences. Students learn the significance of taxonomy and practice microscope techniques when we cover the kingdoms of living things from Bacteria to the Plants. Seventh grade science is a general overview of topics including chemistry, genetics, and anatomy. Students learn the names and functions of general chemistry equipment and perform a variety of experiments in order to better understand the various abstract concepts. Students will also be introduced to the design of the periodic table of elements. Forensic science activities are performed when studying genetics and heredity. Lab dissections are introduced in sixth grade and continued throughout seventh grade. Eighth grade science is a general overview of topics including chemistry, physics and geology. Students will begin to explore the inner workings of the earth. In physics, students will perform various experiments and demonstrations in order to explore the forces, motion, work and energy of the physical world around us.

The 5th and 6th grade students are introduced to world history. The class focus is on determining the elements of culture and how they apply to each region. Extra emphasis is placed upon basic government and economic systems, and physical, resource, and human geography. Map skills such as determining location and distance are reinforced.

Our 7th and 8th grade students study the United States. The 7th grade students begin with the geography and the origins of the first Americans through the Civil War. At the end of the school year we take an interactive field trip to Kennesaw Mountain to see how battles were fought during the Civil War. Our 8th graders continue to study American history from Reconstruction to the present. In the 20th Century, world history is reviewed as it affected the United States. American culture, history, economics, and government are the class focus. Extra emphasis is placed on determining cause and effect, creating timelines, highlights of important Americans and writing social studies essays. Current events are reviewed in light of how they affect the lives of students. Course supplements include an examination of the Constitution and US government, as well as civic responsibilities, and a survey of Georgia geography and history, as well as state and local governments.

Each art project is designed to develop and challenge every student’s creative potential. Projects are aimed at developing conceptual understanding and creative skills, along with participation and appreciation skills.

In grades K-2, the students work with developing their fine motor skills through the basic elements of art. In grades 3-5, the students continue to develop their fine motor coordination while creating work using the elements of art. In addition, students are introduced to the history of art and its artists in order to deepen their appreciation. Students in grades 6-8, create projects based on critical thinking skills, as well as the elements of art and design.

The curriculum for students in grades K-5 encompasses many genres of music using the five elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, form, and timbre. Recorder instruction begins in grade 3. Students in grades 6-8 have the opportunity to perform in Beginning Band, Advanced Band, Praise Band, Outreach Choir, Drama and Tech Production.

In addition, the library promotes the Accelerated Reader program for all grade levels, Kindergarten through eighth, and the Battle of the Books program for grades three through six. Students are encouraged to use the library, and it is open and available at all times throughout the day. The goal of the library and its staff is to promote critical thinking skills and to successfully help our students to become life-long learners. We cannot possibly know everything, but if we know where to look for the answers, we are headed in the right direction.

Students in grades K-2 are introduced to the computer through basic instruction. Students receive instruction on correct computer vocabulary and use the computer to reinforce basic math, reading and listening skills through games and fun exercises.

Students in grades 3-5 learn to use technology tools to enhance their learning. Students will become familiar with technology terms and practice responsible use of computers, digital cameras and scanners. The programs that the students become familiar with include Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. They also work with Internet Explorer, Inspiration, HyperStudio and MSPaint.

In addition, the students in grades 3-5 work with the Accelerated Math program once a week. During their Accelerated Math time, students work math problems which correspond to the objectives from their math class. New assignments are printed based on their performance. The program helps us provide additional reinforcement for basic skills and to pinpoint areas where students may need additional help.

Middle school students continue instruction in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. Students use real life applications to enhance their proficiency of these programs. While “running their own company”, students use tables, graphs and spreadsheets to conduct sales meetings with prospective clients. Students regularly use their skills to construct programs for school events such as Honor’s Night and Graduation.

In addition, the Second Steps Program is used throughout the school. The program is developmentally based and has proven to be effective in teaching children and adolescents appropriate social skills in the areas of empathy, impulse control, problem solving and anger management.

Throughout the grade levels students are introduced to the rich history of the Hispanic communities. Project based learning is used to learn about the customs, geography, and economy of the Hispanic countries.

The Pathway program is offered to our middle school students and allows the students the choice of elective classes. Students quarterly select enrichment classes such as: Debate, Russian Language, Research Skills, Home Economics, Guitar, Homework Hotline and Cartooning.

The goals of the program are to: develop social responsibility in our students, promote academic success and to provide an opportunity for our students to explore and reinforce their strengths, talents and interests. Ultimately, these goals assist us in achieving our school’s mission toward creating a quality education which fosters the current and future development of the whole child.