All GATE projects are completed during class except Science Fair Projects (5th grade required / optional for all other grade levels) and Invention Fair Projects (4th grade only / required).
Embedded Files
Fifth Grade Projects found here.
To view our Fifth Grade Project List "Click" the link above. To read our monthly blog select the drop down arrow of the month you would to view. To see our photos select from the albums below.
Important - GATE Science Fair
information at the very bottom of page or you may view it in the drop down menu.
Extra Support
Any help to support our classroom is greatly appreciated, please refer to our Wish List page on the website for our current classroom needs.
Enrichment Activities
Please refer to our Links & Resource page in the drop down menu for enrichment resources.
December
December
Student Winter Expo
The air is already buzzing with anticipation for the Leadership Winter Expo on December 8th, the grand finale of our Small Business Entrepreneurship unit! This is the moment where weeks of design, engineering, and construction culminate, and the classroom transforms into a high-energy arcade. We know your students will burst with pride and excitement as they finally showcase their elaborate, carnival-style games and watch their classmates eagerly spend "classroom cash" to play. More than just a day of fun, this Expo is the final, authentic display of the incredible leadership growth they have achieved: teams will transition into shrewd ticket sellers and efficient game operators, demonstrating exceptional financial acumen, problem-solving skills, and a true sense of entrepreneurial accomplishment within their own market. It’s a powerful moment where they see their vision become a tangible, profitable reality.
November
November
Famous Person in History
We are thrilled to launch our next major research project for our GATE 5th Grade students: "A Person in History Who Changed the World." This assignment is a fantastic opportunity for students to delve into the life of an influential historical figure who made a positive impact on the world.
This project is deeply aligned with the Oklahoma PASS Grade 5 standards, focusing on an integrated approach to learning. Students will not only conduct thorough research—learning to effectively use and cite sources (a critical research standard!)—but they will also develop essential speaking and visual literacy skills. The final product is an informative Google Slideshow and an in-class presentation. Through this process, students will learn to establish a central idea, organize complex information using a structured format (Life/Background, Challenges, Famous Quote, etc.), and deliver their findings articulately and audibly. This project is a comprehensive exercise in reading, writing, research, and presentation, empowering our students to become effective communicators and critical thinkers.
GATE Science Fair
Get ready to be amazed by the next generation of scientific thinkers! Our GATE Students have diligently embraced the challenge of the Science Fair Project, demonstrating curiosity, critical thinking, and research skills—all completed at home. Following the rigorous steps of the Scientific Method, each student has devised a testable scientific question, conducted their investigation to collect and analyze data, and meticulously prepared a detailed Science Board as a powerful visual guide to their journey of discovery. Beyond the physical display, they've honed their communication skills by recording an informative video presentation, already uploaded to Google Classroom. We invite you to witness this impressive showcase of logic and evidence-based learning as our students present their findings in person. Join us at the Jane Phillips Elementary School Gym on November 11th from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity to support our brilliant young scientists, view their impressive work, and be inspired by the projects that may even go on to the District Science Fair! We can't wait to see you there!
Balloons Over Broadway
Get ready for an incredibly engaging and dynamic project as our students kick off their "Balloons Over Broadway" challenge! We began by stepping into the world of float design, using the Promethean Board to share the inspiring book Balloons Over Broadway and analyze footage of the spectacular Macy's Day Parade. This foundational research sets a real-world context for their task: teams must combine Art, Engineering, and Coding to build their own parade floats. Using balloons, straws, and tape, students will act as engineers, designing a stable, lightweight rig to attach their creative balloon to their Dash robot. Finally, the team's Lead Coders will program the robot using the Wonder Workshop App to navigate a precise sequence of turns, stops, and speeds required to complete our very own parade around the school square. This exercise is a fantastic test of design-thinking, structural problem-solving, and coding precision—a perfect blend of technical skill and creative execution!
October
October
Coaster Mania:
Coaster Mania:
Our students just completed an exhilarating four-part engineering unit, "Coaster Mania," that transformed abstract physics concepts into hands-on design challenges. Starting with Spaghetti Towers, students learned foundational structural strength and material efficiency. Next, the large-scale Foam Coaster activity allowed them to explore the Conservation of Energy, maximizing initial Potential Energy (PE) to fuel complex loops and curves driven by Kinetic Energy (KE). The challenge then shifted with the Coaster in a Box, where the goal was the slowest time, forcing students to become experts in friction and energy dissipation—intentionally slowing the marble down. Finally, the Straw Coasters demanded high precision and momentum control, requiring them to design efficient tracks that could preserve just enough energy to overcome friction and finish by climbing a small incline. This unit was a real-world application of engineering design, Newton's Laws of Motion, and the powerful principles governing force and energy.
Chess at GATE
All GATE students have the exciting opportunity to learn and play chess, which acts as a fantastic training ground for the brain. This activity is far more than just a game; it is a powerful way to develop essential STEAM skills and build the concentration and problem-solving abilities used by scientists and engineers every day.
Check back next month to view the class winners of our Chess Tournament.
September
September
This month fifth grade will be working with critical thinking activities such Scramble Squares Puzzles, Cubits, Cube Burst, Q-Bitz Extreme, Dizios, Batik, Master Mind, ColorKu, and Set.
Also we will be introducing the GATE Science Fair which is a required assignment for fifth grade students that is to be complete at home. We will cover the Scientific Method, rules, partners vs. team members, resources, and video examples of former GATE students projects. The assignment and resources can be accessed through Google Classroom.
Students will begin practicing Chess. They will review the pieces and how each piece can move and develop strategies to help them play. Students will participate in the GATE classroom chess tourney this fall.
Students will participate in our digital citizenship unit to review internet safety. Students will complete the Interland lesson "Be Internet Awesome" to help them understand how to use the internet safely.
During the first semester we will have many activities designed to develop an understanding of physical science. This will prepare the students to create and build an amusement park ride that will move when acted upon by an outside force. Our first activity was to build towers using spaghetti and marshmallows. The limited strength of the materials created a design challenge. We recorded the height of the tower if it could support a ping pong ball (weight) on top for 15 seconds.
Thank you for everything you do to enrich and support the educational journey of your gifted child! Please send us an email if you have questions throughout the year.
Last School Year 2024-2025
Last School Year 2024-2025
GATE Science Fair
GATE Science Fair
The Science Fair is a required project for all GATE fifth grade students which is to be completed at home. This year it will all be held in person at the Jane Phillips Elementary School Gym. For this project, students will decide on a scientific question that can be tested to collect data which can be analyzed to determine an outcome to their question. The project will need to follow the Scientific Method (see attachments below) to guide the project and aide in creating the science board that will be their visual aide. Also students will record a video presenting their project at home by explaining their investigation and then uploading the video into Google Classroom.
You will find several resources below, such as the contract, The Scientific Method explained, the requirements of the visual aid which is their science board, as well as the rubric that Mr. Rhoades will use to evaluate each project. These same resources can be found within the Google Classroom as well. Also on Google Classroom, you will find Examples of past Bartlesville Student's Science Fair videos.
Students that are interested in Washington County District Science Fair may enter this years GATE Science Fair Project in the district science fair in February. More details will be posted at the first of the new year in January. Please remember to list Mr. Rhoades as the teacher and your school site as the school.
If you have any questions or need additional details, please contact Mr. Rhoades at rhoadesta@bps-ok.org.
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