Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade: A Matter of Perspective
What would it be like to see through another’s eyes? How am I perceived by others? How does the place where I stand affect the way I see the future and the past? In history, what is the story of the Colonist? The Native? The Loyalist? The Patriot? The North? The South? The Slave? The Free?
In Fifth Grade social studies, students explore and contemplate the human perspectives that have converged and conflicted throughout U.S. history. In the first term, they consider the experiences of Native Americans, British, French, Spanish, Mexican and Colonial Americans in the context of American exploration, colonization, revolution and expansion. In the second term, they take a close look at slavery and the events that led to the Civil War. Western expansion and an introduction to American industrialization complete the third term’s work.
Throughout the term, students become familiar with the biographies of notable Native Americans, European Americans and African Americans. They record events on timelines and maps, examine the relationship between natural resources and human migration, and delve into the nature and limits of human decisions. Through biblical texts and other resources, students also become acquainted with the religious, cultural and social settings of each age. They consider ways in which Christians past and present have been called to make moral decisions at critical moments and live lives of faith and courage.
Language Arts
This year, as students read informational texts, historic documents, American tall tales, poetry, biographies and historical fiction, they encounter multiple points of view, opinions and perspectives. Novels and anthologies include: War Comes to Willy Freeman; The Fighting Ground; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; Abraham Lincoln: A Photobiography; The Trail of Tears; and Streams to the River, River to the Sea.
Language, Literacy & Written Composition
For students to become skilled, avid readers, teachers utilize reading workshop, literature circles, and response journals -a guided reading approach. These activities and others provide important opportunities for students to develop vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills within the context of literature and in connection with science, social studies, mathematics and the arts.
Through multiple lessons and conferences with the teacher, students learn grammar, mechanics, editing skills and the craft of writing as they repeatedly choose topics, draft, revise, edit and publish their work in Writing Workshop. In the Fifth Grade writing program, informed by R. Fletcher’s Qualities of Effective Writing, L. and Calkin’s Writing Workshop model, writing activities include informational writing, expressive writing (narration), literary writing (story and poetry) and persuasive writing (essay form). Skills, such as parts of speech, punctuation, writing mechanics, spelling, paragraph organization and rich vocabulary, are emphasized and formal curriculum supports instruction in grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.
Science
Deeply engaged in investigations, students raise questions, wrestle with ideas and search for connections. Inquiry becomes a habit of mind as children pursue scientific study. Disciplined thought develops as students weigh evidence, solve problems, imagine new perspectives and possibilities, and gain respect for God’s creation as well as their own callings to observe, discover and invent.
This year’s science program, supported by Delta Science curriculum, includes: 1) Ocean Navigation 2) Simple Machines and 3) Flight, Rocketry and Space. In the fall and spring, scientific studies are integrated with physical geography, navigation with the stars and other earth sciences. Throughout the year, Fifth Graders practice observational skills, interpret data, and study the history of invention.
Mathematics
A problem-solving approach is the key to our math program. Students are encouraged to solve problems in varied ways and communicate their processes to others. Computational fluency and mastery of number operations, including decimals and fractions, is a primary aim of Fifth Grade instruction. Functions, fractions, and geometry are investigated and used in real-world contexts and with the support of hands-on materials. Still further, measurements and collections of data are represented in graphs and lead to discussions about probability. Terc’s Investigations Program provides a firm foundation for understanding, while other materials provide for students’ need to master the facts.
The Arts
In the visual arts, students work with a wide variety of media, including drawing materials, paints, clay, printmaking materials, mixed media sculpture and digital media. They also visit art museums to study Pre-Columbian, Colonial and early American art and artifacts. In music, students sharpen skills and develop critical and creative habits of mind that will enable them to appreciate a world of human culture. Students may participate in Chorus and Drama for further development.
Spanish Language
As students study Spanish, they develop an understanding of their own language and culture as they learn to communicate more fully. Students will graduate equipped with the skills, knowledge and proficiency necessary to pursue Spanish II in high school. They will also have an insight that prepares them for a multi-lingual world.
Beyond the Classroom
Student’s educational experiences extend beyond the walls of the classroom. Field trips are integrally related to classroom studies and may include:
Museum of the Native American
American Folk Art Museum
Clearwater Environmental Center: Hudson River Sailing and Shoreline Study
Buehler Challenger & Science Center: A Simulation of NASA Space Exploration
Gettysburg Overnight Trip or Historic Philadelphia
Spruce Lake 3-Day Wilderness Trip
Summer Reading List
Summer reading list for incoming Fifth Grade students.