5th Grade

What are we doing in the library?

Each month, 5th graders will produce a Panther News video, showcasing events, highlights, and stories from around the school. Students will take on various roles—such as reporters, camera operators, and editors—as they plan, conduct interviews, record footage, and edit their segments.

September

📚 Exploring the Library!

Students are diving into a review of library rules and expectations as we kick off the new school year. They’re learning how books are organized, exploring different genres, and discovering how to check out and care for library materials. To make it fun, we’ll be doing scavenger hunts around the library and learning to navigate our library system, Destiny Discover. It's a great way to build confidence and excitement about using the library!

📚 Get Ready for Battle of the Books!
We’re excited to begin preparing for Battle of the Books (BoB) — a fun, quiz bowl-style competition for students in grades 3-5th Grade! Participants join a school team and commit to reading a list of 6 selected books. They can read independently, with a group, or alongside an adult!

BoB encourages teamwork, exposes students to award-winning literature, and promotes a love of reading both in and out of the classroom. While it is a competition, the heart of BoB is all about discovering great stories and sharing the joy of reading.

📖 This year’s book list includes:

• A Wolf Called Wander – Rosanne Parry

• Creature of the Pines – Adam Gidwitz

• Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1) – Tony DeTerlizzi

• Number the Stars – Lois Lowry

• The Secret Zoo – Bryan Chick

• Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Invention – Chris Barton

October 

Banned Books Week is the week of October 5th, a time dedicated to the freedom to read and raising awareness about the history of book censorship. Students will learn why certain books have been banned or challenged in schools and libraries. We’ll also discuss how readers can think critically about the stories they read as we work to build a thoughtful, informed community of readers who can engage respectfully with different ideas and perspectives

This month, students will be diving into Digital Citizenship lessons using the  Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship Curriculum. These lessons are designed to help students think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world.

This month's focus will be on: Cyberbullying & Online Harm: Understanding how to recognize, prevent, and stand up against online bullying.

Dash Trick-or-Treat Challenge
Students will work with a partner to design and create costumes for their Dash robots. The Dash Robot must be able to move smoothly while wearing the costume. After completing their designs, students will program their Dash to go trick-or-treating. The Dash will need to approach a "house," say "Trick or Treat" and then return to its starting point. This activity supports the ISTE Standard: Computational Thinker, specifically:🔹 1.5d – Algorithmic Thinking, as students create and test step-by-step coding instructions to complete the task.

November

Used Book Fair – November 4–7
Students will have the opportunity to shop at the Used Book Fair from November 4th through November 7th. This event is a major fundraiser for our school library—last year we raised over $1,000 to purchase new books!

All books are donated by members of our Nederland community and will be priced at $1 for paperbacks and $2 for hardcovers. Please take a moment to look through and discuss the books your child brings home from the fair. We do our best to review donations, but we’re not able to check every book individually

Balloons Over Broadway Design Challenge

Fifth graders will read Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, focusing on explaining how the author uses reasons and evidence to support key points. Inspired by the story, students will design and test their own parade balloon prototypes, applying the ISTE Innovative Designer standard by using a deliberate design process to solve authentic problems. This project combines critical reading, creative thinking, and hands-on problem solving!

Students will use WeVideo to bring their parade float designs to life by creating a green screen parade. This activity aligns with the ISTE Standard for Computational Thinker, specifically 1.5d: Algorithmic Thinking, as students plan, sequence, and organize steps to create their digital parade. Through this project, students combine creativity, problem-solving, and technology skills to showcase their designs in a dynamic way!

December

Students will continue using WeVideo to enhance their skills. They will practice manipulating backgrounds, adding text and transitions, and animating objects to move and change size based on their location, building creativity, technical skills, and an understanding of digital media principles.

January

This month, students will be using the Common Sense Media Digital Literacy & Well‑Being Curriculum to focus on privacy and safety and information and media literacy. Through age‑appropriate lessons, students will learn how to protect their personal information online, think critically about what they see and hear, evaluate the credibility of digital content, recognize the risks of oversharing, and use strategies for safe, thoughtful participation in online spaces.