Elementary Student Life Milestones at OHCS
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a time when children encounter novel challenges and events that excite and stretch them as learners. Kindergarten students flourish under gentle guidance, succinct boundaries, inspired challenges, along with intentional grace and compassion. As reading abilities progress, a student's vocabulary will increase. They learn to write legibly in print and become capable of crafting complete sentences. Peer relationships deepen as they practice empathy and appropriate communication.
1st Grade
First grade students excel with loving guidance, even as they are called to greater amounts of diligence, stewardship, and thoughtfulness than previously required. They learn to work and collaborate in groups and to follow multi-step instructions. Students become stronger readers and strengthen and extend mathematical skills and concepts. First Grade students grow as independent learners.
2nd Grade
Second grade is where children grow in their understanding of the world, both externally (what they can observe) and internally (what they can process). They learn to recognize their own emotions and those of others around them more keenly. They learn appropriate ways to express those emotions and react to the emotions of others. Additionally, they are learning what it means to be a good friend, practicing friendship skills like being kind, supportive, trustworthy, and a good listener. They extend their reading skills and learn to read for comprehension as well as enjoyment. Math concepts become more complex and they can see the patterns in math ideas.
3rd Grade
Third grade is a year of transition. Students enter third grade having mastered the phonograms and skills needed to decode, read and spell English words. Students move from learning how to read, to reading to learn. Strengthening comprehension skills and learning to read expository texts is an integral part of the third-grade curriculum and continues to be vital for students as they proceed to fourth grade. At this stage students are encouraged to take on more personal responsibility especially in owning their own learning process. In addition to learning new facts and ideas in class, students learn to use their own academic and social skills helping them to mature.
4th Grade
Fourth grade students enter school eager to learn and please those charged with their care. Students continue to memorize and absorb information quickly and grow in their ability to read for themselves. With novels (chapter books) within their grasp, students leave fourth grade with a deeper understanding of content matter. They learn to do research and incorporate that skill to write an essay or report. At this stage many students gain newfound confidence and independence. Students are guided to set goals and to learn how to manage time wisely.
5th Grade
Fifth grade is a year of great transition for many students. They not only grow physically, but also demonstrate growth academically, cognitively, and spiritually. Students go from reading for information and comprehension to analyzing texts for deeper meaning. In math, they move from whole numbers to fractions and decimals and some pre-algebra concepts. In fifth grade students move from being followers to becoming role models and leaders for younger students. With fifth graders, it is our main goal to prepare them for the rigors of middle school. Teachers focus on building skills in critical thinking, self-directed learning, and applying knowledge.
