Our Language Arts program offers a comprehensive approach to literacy by integrating reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammar. In fifth grade, students engage with a variety of literary and informational texts to enhance their reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Instruction is delivered through a blend of whole-group, small-group, and independent learning opportunities, all guided by the classroom teacher. Students apply reading skills and strategies through interactive read-alouds, mini-lessons, guided reading groups, and word study lessons. In addition to utilizing resources from the Fountas & Pinnell Classroom Literacy Program, students explore four main units of study in writing: Functional Writing, Narrative Writing, Informal Writing, and Persuasive Writing.
5th Grade ELA Reporting Skills
Math
In fifth grade, mathematicians work to develop a concrete understanding of decimal numbers and fractions. Students develop models with math manipulatives and create representational drawings to complete calculations and solve real-world problems. Once students have developed an understanding rooted in concrete models and drawings, they will learn to solve calculations using algorithms. Fifth graders also practice geometry concepts such as classifying 2D shapes and using a coordinate system, measurement skills such as converting between units within the standard and metric systems and finding the volume of 2D shapes, and analyzing data using a line plot. Finally, students investigate patterns and solve equations using the order of operations. All of these skills are developed through a mathematical mindset, employing the 8 Mathematical Practices. Teachers will provide a variety of resources that have been curated by the Regional Office of Education.
Social Studies
Our Social Studies Program: InquirED engages students in an inquiry-based, student-centered learning process. The inquiry process engages students’ drive to discover, their need to question, and their ability to create solutions that transform the world around them. Over the course of each Inquiry, students work toward addressing a big, overarching question called an Inquiry Question. The Inquiry Question for each unit will guide students forward in their investigation. In order to explore this big Inquiry Question, students will be answering a series of smaller questions (called Essential Questions) along the way. Using the conclusions and key findings from their investigation, students will create a final product to demonstrate their understanding of the unit.
The four main units of study for fifth-grade Social Studies are as follows:
1) Native America: Indigenous Americans have been misrepresented in both the popular imagination and historical record since their first encounter with Europeans. This Inquiry challenges students to explore diverse sources, including artifacts and oral traditions, to form a deeper understanding of the rich, varied cultures and histories of Indigenous Americans. Then, students consider how they can take action in their community to better honor the cultural heritage of their land.
2) The Colonial Era: The European settlement of North America led to profound global impacts. In this Inquiry, students go beyond a single narrative to explore the causes of migration to the So-Called New World, and the consequences arising from contact and collision between cultures. They investigate how geography influenced the unique regional identities and economics of the colonies, which established a web of trade and gave rise to slavery.
3) The American Revolution: The ideals of democracy that fueled the American Revolution turned the power structure of the world upside down. In this Inquiry, students are challenged to examine the people, events, causes, and effects of the American Revolution. They create a connection between the ideals of the American Revolution and our own modern challenges to promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all.
4) Rights & Responsibilities: The US Constitution describes the rights and responsibilities of individual citizens and defines the power of elected officials and the branches of government. This Inquiry challenges students to examine how limits on freedom and power, whether outlined in the Constitution or arising from other contexts, help to protect individual and collective rights so all people can fully participate in our democracy.
Science
Fifth grade students approach science with a focus on the Engineering Process through STEM activities. Students will engage in four main units of study:
1) Matter and Its Interactions
2) Energy in Ecosystems
3) Earth’s Major Systems
4) Stars and Our Solar System
Throughout the coursework, students will plan and carry out investigations, gather and analyze data, and communicate their findings through writing and speaking. Resources include Mystery Science and Challenger Learning.