MINISTRY OF ST. JOHN LUTHERAN

INTERMEDIATE ACADEMICS

3rd Grade

At St. John Lutheran School, the 3rd grade students learn that God always loves them and takes care of them.  Secure in this knowledge, they learn to take on more independence and responsibility in their school work and relationships.  Third graders learn through whole group instructions, small group cooperative learning, hands-on activities, songs, movement, and independent work.

 

The 3rd grade classroom is safe, supportive, and welcoming.  School days are filled with learning in challenging and fun ways.  Some new concepts that are learned in 3rd grade are multiplication, fractions, communities around the world, the solar system, and sound.  Third graders build on the literacy foundation learned in previous years, and continue to learn how to treat each other with God's love.

 

Third graders participate in physical education and music classes every day.  They also begin keyboarding and researching in the computer lab.  Third grade is the first year that they get to sit independently at chapel.  Finally, the classroom loft is used daily for silent reading and other small group activities.  Third grade is amazing!

4th Grade

 

In fourth grade, students are learning to be who they are in Christ.  Students will grow in responsibility through independent work, partner and group activities, and teacher led small and whole group times. Students are treated with respect, so they will know how to treat others and themselves with respect. 

 

The classroom is a safe learning environment where mistakes are expected and seen as an important way to learn. Students keep track of their own assignments as they become more independent. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and learn to solve both academic and social challenges. The goal is that students will learn more about the world God has created and their place in it. 


Students meet this goal through the curriculum. Students learn Bible stories and memorize Bible verses and parts of Luther’s Small Catechism. They explore the natural world through health lessons and hands-on science projects where they are encouraged to produce creations using original ideas. Our shared past is appreciated through Nebraska history and social studies. Students learn all 50 states and capitals and about what it means to be a citizen of Nebraska, the United States, and God’s Kingdom.

 

Reading, writing, grammar, and other literacy skills are practiced throughout the other subjects and are specifically practiced during a daily literacy block. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum, and there is a keyboarding program used by the class. Fourth graders also explore their worlds by attending physical education, music, field trips, classroom lessons with the school counselor, and library time. The students attend chapel weekly and lead the service once per year.  

5th Grade

The fifth grade students are encouraged to grow their relationship with their Lord and Savior while serving Him and the community through various opportunities throughout the year. 

 

The students develop relationships with classmates through work in pairs and small groups. They use iPads daily for skill work, projects, research, vocabulary, and other homework. The Smartboard and interactive panel allow students to interact with and lead the class, and flexible seating gives them choice and movement during the day. The students lead chapel a couple times per year and present an all-class play to their parents and other students.  They are members of K-Kids, a volunteer group under a local Kiwanis group. 

 

In fifth grade, the students memorize Bible verses along with the books of the Bible and the chief parts of our Christian faith. They attend chapel weekly and support various ministries with their offerings. Self-monitoring and peaceful conflict resolution is encouraged throughout the day with support as needed.  Hands on science investigations lead them to discover more about God’s creation.  

 

Math number sense is strengthened, multiplication and division are used for fractions and decimals, pre-algebra and geometry concepts are studied, and different word problem strategies and models are practiced.  The students build reading comprehension, word analysis, grammar, vocabulary and spelling skills, and meet in groups for writing, book club, and reading. In Social Studies they learn their role as a citizen and why they live in the United States, then study the first civilizations up through the American Revolution which is enhanced through research projects and simulations. Health class focuses on relationship skills and participation in the D.A.R.E. program led by our local police department.  The 5th grade students also participate in art, health, P.E., music, beginning band, and have regularly scheduled library times.

School Counseling Program

St. John is one of very few Lutheran K-8 schools to implement a comprehensive school counseling program. The school counseling program serves all students through classroom social/emotional curriculum, small group curriculum, and individual brief/solution-focused counseling. The school counselor collaborates and consults with administration, teachers, and families to support the academic success and emotional health of the students. To learn more about Mrs. Jessica Brashear and her role, please CLICK HERE to visit her school website.