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Need Before or After School Care?
Our Extended School Services (ESS) program is available to families needing care for their children beyond regular school hours, both before & after school. Learn more →
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Upper School (5th - 8th)
We motivate our Upper School students to delve deeper into their education. We cultivate investigative skills and mindsets, as well as independent learning, to spark creativity and maintain their intellectual curiosity. They are also tasked with finding ways to serve their school and community. By collaborating with younger grades, they learn to develop a sense of responsibility and foster positive social-emotional skills and relationships for our youngest students. A St. Pius X student receives the academic, decision-making and leadership skills to be successful in high school and beyond.
Curious what we're doing in the classroom? Get to know our teachers and take a peek at each classroom's curriculum and offerings below!
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Focus
Textbook
Reading
Book Boxes for independent reading. Whole group and small group reading instruction for various novel studies.
Novels: ‘Hatchet’, ‘Wonder’, and ‘Westing Game.’
Writing
Whole group teaching, followed by independent writing- narratives, opinion pieces, informational writing, and poetry.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Journeys
Spelling & Grammer: Zaner-Bloser
Handwriting: Zaner-BloserMath
Understanding place value, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing decimals and fractions, unit conversions, geometric skills
McGraw-Hill: MyMath
Online Support: IXLScience
How to investigate, observe, research, and think like a scientist, with the study of the water cycle, food webs, and space.
Mystery Science
ExploravisionSocial Studies
U.S. History; learn how early U.S. history shaped today’s map of the 50 states and complete a state project.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Build Our Nation
Scholastic NewsReligion
This year your child will be learning the meaning of worshiping God in community. The worship of God includes prayer and service. We give worship to God through the celebration of the Eucharist and all the sacraments. These are described as liturgy, which is the Church's official public worship. Through a study of liturgy, the students become aware of Christ's work of salvation.
Christ Our Life
Theology of the BodySocial-Emotional
Empathy and respect, being assertive, predicting feelings, taking others’ perspectives, accepting differences.
Second Step
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In 5th grade the students take technology, Spanish, music and PE.
Students have a choice to take one of the Advanced Study courses which are: Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, Business, and Coding. This occurs twice a week.
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We incorporate various project based learning throughout the year in math to reinforce the material that is being covered. We attend Law Day in May that is put on by Snohomish County. Every other year 5th grade is able to attend Outdoor Education Camp for 2 nights, 3 days.
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Various field trips are sprinkled throughout the year such as going to the Washington State cornmaze and Imagine Childrens Museum.
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Service: Class representatives that meet with ASB. Buddies with 2nd and 3rd graders. School Newspaper. Service learning projects.
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Focus Textbook English Language Arts (ELA) In sixth grade ELA (English Language Arts), we launch the year by learning about how we become strong readers, writers, and the benefits of collaborating with others. Students learn about argumentative writing by writing a speech to share with the class.
The first novel that students read during the year is The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Students will learn about the genre of mysteries, as they describe the mysteries, or plot problems that need to be solved, in a piece of detective fiction. The second reading of the year is book one of March, the graphic novel by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell.
Students then learn about informative essays, by writing a five-paragraph informative essay about a famous trailblazer. We then move into our unit on poetry, as students read and write poems. Poems that they write will be submitted to the Catholic Daughters Poetry Contest. Next, students learn about narrative reading and writing. To end the year, students reflect on their growth as readers and writers.The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Book one of March, the graphic novel by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell.Math Students in 6th grade are split into two classes, one group focusing on Course 1, and the other focusing on Course 2. Both groups use McGraw Hill Glencoe Math and the online platform ALEKS, which is an adaptive online resource that uses open-responsive questioning to provide each student with a personalized learning path.
Course 1:
Students learn about ratios, percent’s, all operations of fractions and decimals. Pre-algebra skills including algebraic expressions and equations, and geometric concepts of learning surface area and volume.
Course 2:
Students learn about ratios and proportional reasoning. Students move on to learn about percent’s, integers, and rational numbers. They begin to learn about expressions, as they focus on simplifying algebraic expressions and learning how to add and subtract linear expressions.
Students then learn how to solve one-step equations and inequalities, and then use that knowledge to solve problems requiring two steps. Students also cover geometry, by learning about angles, three dimensional figures, and how to measure figures.
Finally, students end the year by learning about statistics and probability.Course 1: McGraw Hill Glencoe Math Course 1
Course 2: McGraw Hill Glencoe Math Course 2
Science 6th - 8th grade combined:
The upper school uses Amplify Science, which is a program where students perform hands-on activities, use print materials, and use digital tools to support online and offline learning. Each unit of Amplify Science engages students in a relevant, real-world problem where they investigate scientific phenomena, engage in collaboration and discussion, and develop models or explanations in order to arrive at solutions. In using the program, students engage with science and engineering practices, figure out disciplinary core ideas, and utilize and apply crosscutting concepts in multiple modalities across thoughtful, structured lessons, all centered around engaging anchor phenomena.Amplify (online curriculum) Social Studies Religion This year your child will study the Old Testament and its meaning for Catholics. Study of the Old Testament guides your child to see in Jesus the fulfillment of all the Father has promised, as well as the perfect response to this love. Your child is encouraged to respond to God's call to enter into a loving relationship with God and with the Church. Christ our Life Social-Emotional Lessons will focus on such topics as empathy and communication, bullying prevention, being assertive, emotion management, solving problems, and substance abuse prevention. Lessons are supplemented with academic integration activities, optional homework, handouts, and reflective writing and feature a variety of media, including interviews with real students talking about the issues they face every day. Second Step
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Students can join band and honors choir which take place during lunch and recess. They can also join newspaper and chess club, which take place after school. Spanish is taught to all students in sixth grade two times a week. Tech time is also integrated into each class - computers are often used in each subject. In the schedule, students are also required to participate in Advanced Studies classes, which are classes that take place two times a week. The options are drama, business, art, and coding.
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Field day is held once a year for the whole school. 5th and 6th grade go to camp together every other year. Last year we went to Camp Hamilton, where we participated in environmental education activities.
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Field trips change year by year. Last year, the sixth grade went to the Bill and Melinda Gates Discovery Center. During Catholic Schools Week, students dress up in a different theme each day that is chosen by the ASB representatives.
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Our sixth grade class is paired up with the first grade class for buddies. Tutoring is available from each teacher - set up individually with the teacher to be held either before or after school. ASB is offered for 7th and 8th grade students. Two representatives from each class are also members of ASB. Sixth grade chose their ASB representatives by holding an election and students gave speeches. At the annual fund dinner, students can participate by being a part of the talent show.
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Focus Textbook ELA Math In Algebra, students begin the year by learning about expressions and functions. Students then learn about linear equations by first solving one-step equations and then moving on to solve multi-step equations. Students learn about linear and nonlinear equations, as they learn how to write linear functions in a variety of forms. Students then take what they have learned about linear equations and use that knowledge to solve linear inequalities. After, they learn how to solve linear equations and inequalities through substitution, elimination, and graphing. Then, students begin to learn about exponents and exponential functions, as they learn how to write and transform these expressions. Students then learn about monomials and polynomials in addition to quadratic functions and equations. Students end the year by learning about statistics by learning how to represent and compare data. Throughout the year, students learn how to apply these concepts through real world examples. . All students use the online platform ALEKS, which is an adaptive online resource that uses open-responsive questioning to provide each student with a personalized learning path. Algebra or PreAlgebra (depending on placement - see 6th Grade Curriculum for PreAlgebra Information)
Algebra: McGraw Hill Glencoe Algebra 1Science 6th - 8th grade combined:
The upper school uses Amplify Science, which is a program where students perform hands-on activities, use print materials, and use digital tools to support online and offline learning. Each unit of Amplify Science engages students in a relevant, real-world problem where they investigate scientific phenomena, engage in collaboration and discussion, and develop models or explanations in order to arrive at solutions. In using the program, students engage with science and engineering practices, figure out disciplinary core ideas, and utilize and apply crosscutting concepts in multiple modalities across thoughtful, structured lessons, all centered around engaging anchor phenomena.Amplify (online) Social Studies Religion Students will learn about to live and nourish their faith by understanding, Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The students will learn about what life was like in Palestine when Jesus lived. They will study the Scriptures, especially the Gospels, and will come to understand how the words and actions of Jesus apply to the lives of believers today. Christ Our Life Social-Emotional Lessons will focus on such topics as empathy and communication, bullying prevention, being assertive, emotion management, solving problems, and substance abuse prevention. Lessons are supplemented with academic integration activities, optional homework, handouts, and reflective writing and feature a variety of media, including interviews with real students talking about the issues they face every day. Second Step
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- Physical Education
- Music
- Technology
Advanced Studies options- Drama
- Business & Personal Finance
- Art
- Coding: Intro to Programming
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M.D.I - Missionary Discipleship Institute
The Missionary Discipleship Institute (MDI) is a year-long 3-part faith and outreach experience which provides a framework for students to encounter God in their lives and the lives of their neighbors on the margins and gain awareness of injustices that they face; reflect on how the Church is responding in love and the disturbance this creates in our own sense of discipleship; and discern, develop, and carry out a response rooted in God's mission.
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- May Crowing
- Nativity Play
- Stations of the Cross
- The Rosary
- Weekly Readers at Mass
- Children’s Mass – Third Sunday of each Month
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Hope Bags
7 & 8th graders start a drive to have students bring in supplies such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, water bottles, food, socks, etc. Once collected, the 7th & 8th graders put items into "Hope Bags". These are then given to the homeless in our community, as well as students are encouraged to go out and deliver them!
St. Vincent De Paul Annual Food Drive
7th / 8th Grade students are responsible for organizing this service-learning project to help those in need in our community. The classes gather the food from each classroom, count the items and then organize the food so that each St. Pius X students can deliver to our Mercy House. St. Vincent De Paul creates over 30 Thanksgiving baskets for those in need.
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Focus Textbook ELA Math Students will critically think, analyze, problem solve, reason abstractly, construct viable arguments, and critique the reasoning of others. They will explore tools of Geometry, logical arguments, symmetry, and relationships of triangles, quadrilaterals, and trigonometry. Geometry Science 6th - 8th grade combined:
The upper school uses Amplify Science, which is a program where students perform hands-on activities, use print materials, and use digital tools to support online and offline learning. Each unit of Amplify Science engages students in a relevant, real-world problem where they investigate scientific phenomena, engage in collaboration and discussion, and develop models or explanations in order to arrive at solutions. In using the program, students engage with science and engineering practices, figure out disciplinary core ideas, and utilize and apply crosscutting concepts in multiple modalities across thoughtful, structured lessons, all centered around engaging anchor phenomena.Amplify (online) Social Studies Religion The students will learn about how the Church shone like a light in the dark ages. They will see how the Church has survived social systems, political systems, and persecutions. The students will be encouraged to think in newer, more profound ways about Catholic truths. The Holy Spirit, the four gifts that mark the Church, and Mary's role will become more apparent to the students. Christ Our Life Social-Emotional Lessons will focus on such topics as empathy and communication, bullying prevention, being assertive, emotion management, solving problems, and substance abuse prevention. Lessons are supplemented with academic integration activities, optional homework, handouts, and reflective writing and feature a variety of media, including interviews with real students talking about the issues they face every day. Second Step
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