What will your child be learning in 5th grade reading and writing class?

Reading

In 5th grade, reading development focuses on deepening comprehension, analytical thinking, and engagement with diverse texts. 

• Reading strategies: Students are expected to actively monitor their comprehension, use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words, make inferences, and activate prior knowledge.

• Text analysis: Fifth graders learn to identify main ideas and supporting details, summarize texts, determine the author's point of view and purpose, and compare and contrast characters, settings, and events within and across different texts.

• Figurative language: They develop the ability to interpret figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, and understand the meaning of idioms, adages, and proverbs.

• Text structures: Students analyze how texts are organized, comparing and contrasting structures like chronology, comparison, and cause/effect.

• Vocabulary development: Emphasis is placed on expanding vocabulary through reading, using context clues, and studying Greek and Latin affixes and roots.

• Diverse genres: Students engage with a variety of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, focusing on novels with complex characters and plots.

• Technology & research: They utilize technology and digital media to research topics and gather information from multiple sources.

• Fluency: Students should be able to read on-level text with purpose and understanding, reading prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.

• Reading stamina: Fifth graders are encouraged to develop reading stamina to engage with longer, more complex texts for at least 30 minutes or longer. 

Writing

Fifth graders build upon prior skills to become more developed, organized, and effective communicators in writing. 

• Writing process: They follow a writing process that includes planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

• Writing genres: Students write in various genres, including:

  • Opinion pieces: Expressing an opinion on a topic or text with supporting reasons and evidence.

  • Informative/explanatory texts: Presenting factual information and ideas clearly, using details like definitions, quotations, and examples.

  • Narrative writing: Developing real or imagined experiences with clear event sequences, descriptive details, and elements like dialogue and character development.

• Research & analysis: Students conduct short research projects, gathering information from multiple print and digital sources, paraphrasing or summarizing information, and citing sources.

• Sentence structure & grammar: They focus on developing varied sentence structures and mastering grammar and punctuation rules, including the correct usage of conjunctions, prepositions, interjections, and verb tenses.

• Vocabulary & style: Students are encouraged to use a broad range of vocabulary, including domain-specific terms and precise language, to enhance clarity and style.

• Technology: They use technology to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others, according to GreatSchools. 

In essence, 5th-grade reading and writing are about fostering a deeper connection with texts and developing the ability to articulate thoughts and ideas effectively across a range of purposes and audiences